Jade Potter and the Chamber of secrets
by Insanity-is-Freedom
Summary: Jade Potter is getting ready for her second year at Hogwarts when she receives a warning that her brother, Christopher Potter who is also the Boy-Who-Lived, will be in danger if he goes back to Hogwarts. When students are turned to stone and message written in blood found in the school, what will Jade and the Golden Quartet do?
1. Chapter 1

**And here is the first chapter of the sequel to Jade Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. If you haven't read the prequel, I recommend you do as I did make few changes from the original story. If you have read the prequel then I hope you will enjoy this chapter and I hope to see you reviews!**

* * *

The summer break was nearly over; soon Jade and her twin brother Christopher would be going back to Hogwarts. The raven haired girl looked out of her window. The end of last year had been a complete fiasco. She had actually missed the End of year Feast! (Read the specially made lemon pie) She had been very bitter about missing the feast (the lemon pie) and no amount of comfort (of lemon pies) from her mother could change it.

Otherwise she had spent a rather enjoyable summer, receiving comfort from her mother (stuffing herself with lemon pies) and spending time with her brother and father. Jade was rather glad she would be going back to Hogwarts though. She felt vulnerable in Godric's Hollow. The place was the one where Christopher had nearly died by Voldermort's hand and the memories which had once been forgotten now plagued her nights. Thankfully she didn't have nightmares every night, but she did have them quite often.

It was a good thing that her mother had insisted that she rest a lot. It had enabled the girl to sleep during the day without anyone asking questions. Lily had been very worried after Jade had woken up from her three-week long sleep at the end of the previous school year. She and James had spent a lot of time keeping an eye on their daughter. The attention didn't really bother Jade, she actually rather liked it. She wouldn't admit that out loud, though.

Jade had been a bit worried about Christopher's reaction to meeting with Voldermort. She needn't have worried though, as the boy hadn't seemed that traumatised about it. He had swiftly forgotten about the incident much the same way a child will promptly forget his going through a painful event. Ron and Hermione had kept in contact with the twins during the summer holidays. Jade had herself kept Hedwig quite busy. She had sent many letters to Hermione and Ron (though a bit less to the red haired boy) and had also sent a letter to Hagrid.

Now if those stupid Muggle relatives weren't expected for dinner, it would have been perfect. Lily came from a non-magical family and she had a Muggle sister called Petunia. Auntie Petunia was a woman with a long neck and short blond hair and she believed that wizards were freaks. She had married a man called Vernon Dursley. He was a fat man who worked in a firm that made drills. He also detested magic. They had had a kid, Dudley, who resembled his father in every way. Basically, he looked like a pig and was spoiled rotten.

Even though the Muggles were atrocious, Lily made a point of inviting Petunia and her son for dinner once in a while. It was an unspoken rule between the sisters that Vernon wouldn't attend the dinners at the Potter's. The man was even worse than his wife when it came to disliking wizards and couldn't be trusted to be civil with them. So tonight, Aunt Petunia and Dudley would be eating at the Potter's. Their arrival was generally bad news. The conversations between the adults were always carried stiffly and the twins had to put up with Dudley for the entire evening. Of course, they weren't allowed to be rude to their cousin in any way.

Jade glanced at the clock hanging on the wall. Half past six; they would be here soon. The raven haired girl sighed. This was going to be a horrible evening, she just knew it. She would have to entertain her fat pig of a cousin, put up with her aunt's complains. It was a benediction she never saw her Uncle because she wasn't sure she would have been able to put up with a third one.

She sighed and got up to her feet deciding she had better go and help her mother who would surely be panicking at the perspective of having guests in a few minutes and not being ready. The raven haired girl walked out of her room and down the stairs. She turned right at the bottom of the stairs, into the kitchen. As predicted her mother was busy cooking. Jade watched her mother's back for a few seconds. The woman's red hair was beautiful; it was a different red from Ron's. It was a darker and deeper color.

"Can I help you with something, Mum?" asked the young girl finally.

Her mother looked over her shoulder. Her emerald eyes set on her daughter and she smiled. Jade returned the smile but inside she had frozen. Seeing her mother's eyes was like looking in a mirror. It was a constant reminder of the unnatural color of her eyes and of the nightmares that plagued her.

"Yes, please." said Lily. "Could lay the table, for me? I still haven't finished cooking and Petunia should be here soon."

"Of course."

Jade left the kitchen and walked in the dining room. She took the plates out of the old cupboard and placed them on the table. She had to do it manually because she wasn't allowed to use magic during the holidays. If she did she could expelled. It took her a good five minutes to finish laying the table. She had just finished placing the last glass when the doorbell rang. Here were the Muggles. Jade walked reluctantly towards the door. Lily had already opened it and her Aunt and cousin were standing in the hallway. The raven haired girl plastered a polite smile on her face and went to greet them.

"Good evening Aunt Petunia, hi Dudley." she said.

Her Aunt muttered a reply and her cousin just stared at her. Impolite pig, he was. Christopher came down the stairs and also said hello with a rather stiff smile. James was next. Aunt petunia greeted the man coldly as she had always done. She didn't like James for some reason, never had. Maybe it was just the whole wizard thing. Petunia probably wanted her sister to marry someone 'normal', a Muggle.

Lily led the group to the sitting room, conversing brightly with her sister. Of course, it was only Lily who was 'bright', Petunia seemed morose and replied with polite and concise sentences. She looked tired, Jade noted. Maybe she was finally suffering from her wedding with Vernon. Or maybe she had stopped idolising her son and realized he was just a porky brat. Any of those would be something of a miracle really, but one had to keep hope.

"So, erm, how's school?" said Christopher.

Her twin was desperately trying to start a conversation with Dudley, but their cousin, who had probably been brain-washed by his parents, refused to reply. He only stared at the twins with a look that could maybe be called venomous. At least, as much as a pig could look venomous. Jade didn't bother trying to talk to her cousin. She hated the kid and wasn't ready to make any kind of effort. Finally, Lily suggested that the children go play upstairs. Used to the routine, Jade and Christopher took Dudley up to their rooms. The three sat in down in Christopher's room, Jade having made it clear a long time ago that she wouldn't let animals in. Dudley resembled a pig enough to fall in that category.

Jade sat on the bed and tugged the sheets. She felt extremely bored. Her brother was sitting on the floor and was a lot in the contemplation of her toes. Dudley had claimed the only chair available in the room and was glaring at whatever crossed his eyes.

A loud crack resounded in the room and a tiny creature appeared in front of Christopher. The creature had large ears that vaguely resembled a bat and ball-like green eyes.

"Hello." said Jade politely once she had recovered from the shock.

"Christopher Potter!" squeaked the little creature completely ignoring her. "So long has Dobby wanted to meet you, sir…Such an honour it is…"

Jade glanced at her twin. The boy was frozen in his place, gaping at 'Dobby'.

"W-who are you? What are you?" asked Christopher nervously.

"Dobby, sir. Just Dobby the house-elf." said the creature.

At that moment, Dudley who had apparently finally recovered enough to react, let out a high pitched scream and ran out of the room.

"So, er, Dobby." started Jade ignoring Dudley's noisy exit. "Is there any particular reason you're here?"

"Oh, yes, miss," said Dobby still watching Christopher eagerly. "Dobby has come to tell you, sir…it is difficult, sir…Dobby wonders where to begin…"

The creature was now clearly addressing Christopher.

"Sit down." said Jade politely, trying not to get annoyed as the house-elf didn't bother looking at her.

She didn't plan on the tiny creature to burst into tears.

"S-sit down!" he wailed. "Never….never ever…."

"I-it's okay! You can stand if you like it better." offered Christopher with a worried frown.

"D-Dobby has never been asked to sit down by a wizard – like an equal." choked the elf.

"Well you can't have met any decent wizard then, because it's the basics of manners to offer someone a seat." said Jade.

The elf finally turned to her and shook his head. Then without any kind of notice he started banging his head against the wall. Alarmed, Christopher jumped on his feet and dragged the little creature away from the wall.

"What are you doing?" hissed Jade.

"Dobby had to punish himself, miss." said the elf. "Dobby almost spoke ill of his family, miss…"

"Your family?"

"The wizard family Dobby serves, sir…Dobby is a house-elf bound to serve one house and one family." said the elf turning to Christopher who had released him.

"Do they know you're here?" asked Jade frowning.

"Oh no, miss, no…Dobby will have to punish himself most grievously for coming to see you, sir." said the elf with a shudder, turning to Christopher. Dobby will have to shut his ears in the oven door for this. If they ever knew, sir…"

"But won't they notice if you shut your ears in the oven door?" asked Christopher.

"Dobby doubts it, sir. Dobby is always having to punish himself for something, sir. They lets Dobby get on with it, sir. Sometimes they reminds me to do extra punishments…"

"But why don't you leave? Escape?" asked Christopher.

"A house-elf must be free, sir. And the family will never set Dobby free…Dobby will serve the family until he dies, sir…"

The twins stared at the tiny creature.

"So, so er, why did you come here?" asked Jade at last.

"Dobby…Dobby has come to warn Christopher Potter, miss. He must not go back to Hogwarts." said the house-elf.

"W-what but I've got to go back – terms starts on September the first." stammered Christopher.

"No, no, no. Christopher Potter must stay where he is safe. If he goes back to Hogwarts he will be in mortal danger." squeaked Dobby.

"What do you mean?" asked Jade.

"There is a plot, miss. A plot to make most terrible things happen at Hogwarts this year."

"Does it have anything to do with Voldermort?" asked the raven haired girl, her eyes narrowing dangerously.

Dobby shook his head and Jade breathed with relief. It was then, that the door opened to reveal an angered Lily.

"What did you two…" she started angrily before noticing the elf in the middle of the room. "What is going on here?" she asked bewildered.

Dobby let out a squeak and disappeared under the bemused stares of the three Potters.

"Well, that was weird." said Jade shaking her head.

Christopher nodded quietly.

"What, in the name of Merlin, happened?" asked Lily.

"That house-elf Dobby suddenly appeared and said that Christopher couldn't go back to Hogwarts." supplied Jade.

"Why would he say that?" asked her mother frowning.

"No idea." replied the raven haired girl with a warning glance at her twin.

She thought it was best not to worry her mother needlessly; especially as they would be going to the safest place in the world. Their mother seemed to accept the answer and led them downstairs for dinner.

* * *

The next day, the twins and their parents went on a trip to Diagon Alley. They hadn't bought their books yet and were planning to meet up with the Weasleys. Lily dragged them off to _Flourish and Blotts_ first. The bookshop was packed with people. The reason for this gathering was announced by a large banner:

GILDEROY LOCKHART

_will be signing copies of his autobiography_

MAGICAL ME

_today 12.30 – 4.30 pm_

"Isn't that the guy who wrote nearly all the books on our booklist?" asked Jade to no one in particular. "And what's with the name of his autobiography anyway? 'Magical me', what's so special about being magical?" she turned to her mother. "Do you think he's an idiot?"

"Jade!" said her mother sternly, but Jade could tell the woman was fighting hard not to smile.

"Oh look!" cried Christopher. "There's Ron."

Jade turned in the indicated direction and indeed the Weasleys were coming towards them. The twins came to her and hugged her in turn.

"Hi Jade." they said simultaneously.

"Hi." replied the raven haired girl with a huge grin. "So how was your summer?"

"Productive." said Fred with an evil grin.

"Wicked." added George with a wink.

Jade giggled. Those two would be wreaking havoc in Hogwarts this year as well. She could hardly wait to see what they would be up to.

"How was yours?" enquired Fred.

Jade frowned and told them in a low voice about the house-elf' visit.

"What do you reckon?" she asked once she had finished her story.

"Very fishy." said Fred.

"Definitely dodgy." agreed George.

The three of them stood there deep in thoughts for a few minutes. Then Mrs weasley ushered them inside. The red haired matriarch was obviously very excited about meeting that Gildert Loanshark, or whatever his name was. They squeezed inside. A long queue wound right to the back of the shop where Loanshark was signing his books. It appeared that most of the crowd were witches around Mrs Weasley's age. The children each grabbed a copy of _Break with a banshee_ and went to stand in line with Mrs Weasley and the Potters. James and Lily weren't as excited as Mrs Weasley at the idea of meeting the man but they still smiled politely while conversing with the red haired woman.

The line was advancing very slowly but at last they were close enough that they could see that damn Gildert. A photographer bumped into Ron and squashed his foot.

"Out of the way there." snarled the man. "This is for the Daily Prophet."

"And that's a big enough deal that you wouldn't say sorry?" said Jade loud enough that part of the crowd would turn to them.

The photographer scowled but didn't reply as he had become the center of attention. He quickly left and Jade turned back to facing the front. Gildert Loanshark (or something like that) had also turned to listen to them. He was now watching their small group with a lot of interest. Too much interest in Jade's opinion. She gave a defeated sigh when the man's eyes widened at her twin.

"It can't be Christopher Potter?!" said the man leaping to his feet and positively shouting.

This time the whole bookshop turned to look at them. Jade rolled her eyes at the times who rolled theirs back. Loanshark grabbed her twin and made him pose for the photographers. Christopher looked alarmed at being trapped in the man's clutch. When the photographers had finally taken enough pictures to make a whole album, Loanshark let go of Christopher's arm. The boy tried to go back to his family but Gildert placed his arms around his shoulders.

"Ladies and gentlemen." started the man loudly, waving his head for silence. "What an extraordinary moment this is! The perfect moment for me to make a little announcement I've been sitting on for some time! When young Christopher, stepped into Flourish and Blotts today, he only wanted to buy my autobiography – which I shall be happy to present him now, free of charge – " the crowd applauded and Jade fought back the urge to slap the man. " He had no idea that he and his school fellows will, in fact, be getting this real magical me. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I have great pleasure and pride in announcing that, this September, I will be taking up the post of Defence Against the Dark Arts at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."

The crowd cheered loudly and Christopher was forced to accept a whole pile of Loanshark' work. Wait, thought Jade glancing at her copy of _Break with a Banshee_, his name was actually Lockhart. She lifted her head and smiled at her twin who had finally managed to get back.

"Ron, I'll give you these. I think I'd rather buy my own." said Christopher pushing the pile onto Ron with a disgusted expression.

"Er, no thanks mate." said Ron.

"Well, Ginny then." Christopher turned to Ron's little sister and dropped the books in her cauldron.

Jade smiled indulgently at her brother. She could understand the feeling as she would most likely have done something similar. Mind you, she might have actually burnt the books.

"Can't get enough of celebrities, can you Potter?" drawled a highly annoying voice in her back. "Even your brother's not enough anymore."

Jade turned to face Draco Malfoy. The blond Slytherin was wearing his usual sneer.

"But of course Madboy, I just love being in the masses of hysteric fans!" replied Jade with a heavy sarcasm in her voice. "Anyway, I'm surprised to see you amongst us commoners. I wouldn't have thought someone like you would bother to enter such a measly shop." she said smirking.

"I'm quite surprised myself to see Weasleys in a shop." interjected Malfoy. "I bet they will have to starve for months just to pay for that lot." he nodded at the books in Ginny's cauldron.

Ron made a move to launch on the blond boy but was held back by Christopher.

"Ah Weasleys!" a man with long blond hair and steel grey eyes walked up to them.

Jade didn't need introductions to know who the man was. He was most likely Mr Malfoy, Draco's father. The man picked a battered copy of _A Beginners Guide to Transfiguration_ in Ginny's cauldron.

"Still as poor as ever, I see. I suppose you wouldn't want to break tradition." he sneered. "Here, girl, take your book." said the man throwing the book back to her. "It is the best your father can offer you after all…"

On these last words the two Malfoys walked out of the bookshop under the children's murderous glares.

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**I know I promised a Draco/Jade pairing, but after much deliberation, I have decided it will only appear in Jade's later years at Hogwarts; because you have to admit it would be weird for them to get together when they're only eleven! **

**I hope you're not too disappointed!**


	2. Chapter 2

**First of all, a big thank you to KGC112 for his review (and I'm sorry I wasn't ready to update just yet ^^') and also to my guest reviewers. And, of course, thank you to all my readers as well! (Don't feel neglected ^^)**

**I hope you will enjoy this chapter and post lovely reviews once you have finished reading it!**

* * *

Christopher had been invited to stay with the Weasleys for the last week before the start of term; Jade had also been invited but had politely refused saying she needed to finish her homework. It was a lie, the raven haired girl had finished her homework during the first month of holiday, she just didn't feel up to spending her last week in a house full of noise with a lot more people than in the Potter household. She didn't want anyone to find out about her nightmares and it would be a lot more difficult to hide them in the Burrow, than it was at home. At least, once she was back at Hogwarts she would be able to cast a Silencing charm around her bed. She had been researching them ever since the summer had started. She had thought a lot about how she would be managing her 'nocturne issues' when she went back to school. She still felt extremely reluctant to let anyone into her secret, even though she knew she would have to tell her friends at some point. So, Silencing spells had appeared as a rather good solution to her problem.

The week was agreeable. Jade spent as much time as she could with her parents. She played Wizard's Chess (which she was really wasn't good at) with her father and talked a lot with her mother. She was still quite happy when the first day of term arrived. Lily and James took her to King's Cross and after saying their good-byes let her climb on the train. The raven haired girl started looking for her brother, Ron and Hermione. She didn't find any of them, however she saw Ginny in an otherwise empty compartment. Deciding she might as well sit there to wait for the others, Jade opened the door.

"Do you mind if I sit with you." asked the raven haired girl.

"No, of course." said the red haired girl, looking pleased and surprised at the same time.

"I was starting to worry that there was nobody I knew on the train." said Jade as she sat across Ginny.

"I had the same problem." said the other girl shyly. "Aren't Christopher and Ron in the train?" she asked seeming to realize what the older girl's words meant.

Jade frowned.

"Well, I didn't see them." she said. "I hope they're not getting in trouble."

The two girls were silent for a few moments.

"So, how was your week with that dear brother of mine?" asked Jade at last.

The red haired girl blushed.

"Oh, it was fine! We had fun."

Her blush became deeper and she lowered her eyes to her skirt. Jade smiled to herself, it looked like Ginny had a bit of a crush on Christopher. Well, it was going to be hard on her! Christopher could be thick sometimes, especially when it came to relationships…

The door opened and revealed none other than Hermione Granger.

"Hello, Jade." said the girl before turning to Ginny. "Hi, I'm Hermione Granger."

"I'm Ginny Weasley." said Ginny with a small smile.

Jade smiled widely at her friend and moved aside so that Hermione could sit next to her.

"So how was your summer?" asked Jade.

"Oh, it was fine. I missed you guys though." said Hermione. "Talking of which, where are the boys?" she asked frowning.

"That's what I would like to know too." said Jade. "I just hope they are not already in trouble…"

Hermione nodded with a sigh.

"More importantly, Jade." said Hermione beaming. "What do you think of our new Defence Against the Dark Arts professor?"

Jade furrowed her brows in thought. She knew she had met the man somewhere but she couldn't seem to remember where or when. Defence professor…Had she met him in Diagon Alley but they had only gone to get their books….That was it! It was that guy with the shiny smile!

"Gildert Loanshark!"

"What? No, his name is Gilderoy Lockhart." said Hermione.

"Same difference, really." said the raven haired girl with a shrug.

Hermione rolled her eyes at her while Ginny giggled.

"So what do you think of him?" asked Hermione returning to her earlier enthusiasm.

"You mean a part from the fact that he's an obnoxious git?"

"Jade!" exclaimed Hermione crossly. "He's not an obnoxious git!"

"I think he is actually." piped up Ginny.

"That's the way to go, girl!" said Jade leaning to give her a pat on the shoulder.

Ginny beamed at the older girl and Hermione sighed in defeat.

"I still think his books are good…." muttered the bushy haired girl. "Anyway, we'll have time to judge over the year."

"Don't remind me of that!" groaned Jade. "Really, I'm starting to think that Dumbledore purposefully choses weirdoes to teach."

"Oh, come on Jade, he can't be that bad!" said Hermione.

Jade nodded at her darkly, she was pretty sure that Loanshark would turn out to be **worse** than a weirdo.

* * *

**JPJPJPJPJP (sorry but I have some kind of with the horizontal line and it won't stay! So I know it's ugly but well...)**

Jade was worried. And being worried made her angry. She was currently sitting at the Gryffindor table. The Sorting had started already. It was a blond girl's turn to sit on the stool but Jade barely noticed. To say she wasn't paying attention was a major understatement. She was refusing to acknowledge that anything was happening around her. Of course, the reason for her state of mind was Christopher. The idiot had yet to appear at the Gryffindor table. Nobody had seen him on the train either. Nor had anyone seen Ron for that matter. This led Jade to believe that both idiots were together, and weren't they always?

She unconsciously started tapping the table with her finger. Where were they? Were they trying to kill her with worry on the first day of school?

"Jade, I'm sure they're fine." whispered Hermione who was sitting across of her. "At least Christopher isn't the type to run into trouble. That's the kind of things **you** would do."

The raven haired tried to return Hermione's smile but failed.

"It's not Christopher's type but could you say the same of Ron?" she asked.

The bushy haired girl didn't reply. They both knew that Ron wouldn't turn his back on something stupid if it could eventually lead him to getting some recognition.

Lavender seemed to have heard their conversation because she turned to them.

"I heard they arrived in a flying car, crashed in the Whomping Willow and got expelled." she told them.

Jade went ghostly pale. Gotten expelled. Her brother had gotten expelled. And the Whomping Willow? She hoped that bloody tree hadn't hurt her twin or she would turn it into firewood. She glared darkly at the table.

"Jade, I'm sure it's just rumours, you know how much Lavender likes to gossip." said Hermione reassuringly, sending a warning glare towards Lavender.

The other girl recoiled and turned back to Parvati. Hermione could be scary sometimes. Jade didn't notice the interaction, though. She was looking the very picture of gloom as she sank into her depressing thoughts. Realising the raven haired girl was too far gone for her to reach; Hermione focused her attention to her sorting. She turned just in time to see Ginny Weasley walking up to the stool. The red haired girl sat and looked up anxiously as the hat was placed on her head. A full minutes passed before the hat announced its decision.

"Gryffindor!"

The Gryffindor table erupted in applause as Ginny went to sit with them with a radiant smile. Hermione beamed at her and clapped enthusiastically. Jade…Well, Jade was still very far away…

Hermione invited Ginny to sit with her as she quickly understood that Jade wouldn't emerge from her depression anytime soon. She explained the situation to Ginny who looked alarmed upon learning that Ron and Christopher were supposedly expelled. Hermione wasn't entirely sure she was upset about her brother only though. When they were on the train she couldn't help but notice that Ginny tended to blush whenever a certain Boy-Who-Lived was mentioned…The bushy haired girl smiled at the memory. She would have to keep an eye on things and make sure the younger girl wasn't hurt by Christopher. Not that he would hurt anyone on purpose but he could be a bit thick at times...

Hermione felt very protective of Ginny. She had gotten along quite well with her on the train and the red haired girl was in every way the little sister Hermione had always wanted. She had noticed that Jade had the same kind of fondness for the younger girl. This made Hermione laugh internally. Jade was feminine in many even though most time she was a bit tomboyish. However she had a very motherly and protective side of her; which she was currently demonstrating by worrying about Christopher endlessly.

The bushy haired girl glanced at her raven haired friend and sighed heavily. She hoped Christopher hadn't been expelled or she would have a zombie-like (or inferi-like) Jade to take care of all year.

* * *

At the end of the feast, Hermione and Jade left the hall while Ginny joined the other first years. Jade was still sombre. She hadn't eaten much which showed how worried she was. The two girls silently walked up to Gryffindor tower and entered the Common Room. Jade was the one who caught sight of the two boys first. She marched angrily towards them and slapped Christopher. Hermione blinked in surprise as a resounding slap was heard in the Common Room which had suddenly gone very still. It seemed Hermione wasn't the only one shocked by Jade's outburst, all the conversations had stopped and everybody was watching the twins. Ron was gaping at Jade with an alarmed expression, probably worrying that he would receive the same kind of treatment.

"Christopher James Potter." said Jade in a calm voice that promised hell. "Where on earth have you been? You weren't on the train, and you weren't at the feast. There were rumours that you had crashed in a Whomping Willow and that you had gotten expelled. I hope these rumours were just that and not the truth." she hissed eyes locked in her brother's.

Christopher gulped audibly and tried to make himself as small as possible.

"W-well, we weren't expelled…" he muttered not meeting his sister's eye.

The emerald narrowed dangerously.

"Must I understand that the rest was true? Do you know how worried I was?" her voice was slowly rising. "I was dying with worry, thinking you had gotten expelled! You could have been hurt or even killed! Just **what** were you thinking?! And I do not want to hear any excuses you might have because **nothing**, absolutely **nothing **could excuse you from taking a flying car to Hogwarts and getting yourself in danger!" she roared.

The whole Common Room gulped. Jade Potter could be extremely scary. It would be remembered in Gryffindor House that it was better not to cross the raven haired girl unless you were volunteering to cross the Styx. Christopher had shrunk as Jade's voice had amplified. Ron on the side had gone as still as a statue.

"Now," said Jade, her voice back to its frightening calmness. "I am going to go to bed. Tomorrow, I will expect you to apologise for the trouble you have caused to me as well as to the headmaster and Professor McGonagall." she turned to Ron who flinched. "And I suggest you do the same, though, of course, I am sure your mother will have a word to say in this."

With a last look at her brother who was persistently staring at his shoes, Jade stormed out of the Common Room. The silence lasted for five minutes after she had left. Then the conversations started again in hesitant whispers. The last thing anyone wanted was to disturb the lioness. Hermione walked towards Christopher.

"You might want to put some ice on this." she said nodding to the boy's cheek. "And I do have to say I agree with Jade. You two had us extremely worried."

She bid them good night and walked up the stairs to the dormitories.

"Bloody hell!" exclaimed Dean who had approached Christopher as Hermione left. "You're sister's pretty scary!"

There were several nods of agreement around the room.

"Definitely scarier than my Mom." agreed Seamus.

"Make that: definitely scarier than both yours and my mother." said Ron with a shiver.

* * *

"Jade, are you alright?" said Hermione softly as she joined her friend in the room.

The raven haired girl was sitting on her bed with her face in her hands. The bushy haired girl went to sit by her side and placed a gentle hand on her back.

"Jade?"

The girl lifted her head slowly.

"That idiot." she whispered. "I'm so relieved nothing has happened to him."

A tear escaped the wide green eyes. Hermione pulled Jade into a one arm hug and the raven haired girl cried quietly on her friend's shoulder. Hermione smiled sadly. Jade was really caring, and she would have to have a little chat with the boys about this. She wouldn't let them cause so much grief to Jade with their mischief.

She would wait a little though; they would need time to recover from their confrontation with the angry girl.

"I think you just scared the hell out of everyone in the Common Room, Jade. Actually I wouldn't be surprised if Lavender and Parvati decided to sleep on the sofas tonight." said Hermione jokingly.

Jade gave a shaky laugh.

"At least we won't have to listen to their never ending gossip." she replied with a watery smile to her friend.

Hermione returned the smile and grabbed a tissue which she handed to the raven haired girl. Jade proceeded to wiping her tears which were starting to resemble the Niagara Falls. Three tissues later, her eyes were finally dry. She hugged her friend tightly.

"Thanks Mione." she said.

Then the two girls agreed it was starting to get late and retreated to bed. Lavender and Parvati came up an hour later after, having ensured that the cost was clear and that there was no risk of them being attacked by an angry feline.


	3. Chapter 3

**And here comes the third chapter, thanks as always to my faithful readers and my eternal gratefulness to my two faithful reviewers KGC112 and Ally of Darkness.**

**KGC112:**** Thank you for your support ^^ You are in fact my second reviewer, though to be fair I did receive guest reviews as well, and you're right: other people have been reading it (I know because some of them favorited and followed!) It must mean that I attract shy readers!**

**Anyway thank you for your reviews and for your support! (and I totally think Christopher deserved that slap as well ^^)**

**Ally of Darkness****: No problem at all, it already means a lot that you are reviewing, I'm not going to ask you to review every single time^^ I'm glad you like the first chapters and here is the update you have been waiting for.**

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The next morning, Jade didn't bother waiting for Ron and Christopher. Hermione didn't make any comment on her attitude which she was glad for. She had calmed down a lot overnight, but she still felt angry at her brother for putting himself in such danger and she was certainly not going to let him forget about it, not until he had apologised properly. And she was determined not to give him any occasion to do it in private. She sat at the Gryffindor table and started eating with her usual appetite. Hermione was solemn and not a word was spoken as they ate their breakfast. Most of the Gryffindors seemed to wait eagerly for the moment Christopher would come into the Great Hall. It seemed that the word of the night had gotten out and Hufflepuffs and ravenclaws were also glancing eagerly towards Jade.

At last, the Boy-Who-Lived made his entrance. He paused momentarily in the doorway, his eyes searching the table for his sister. With the expression of a soldier going to battle, he marched towards his twin.

"Good morning, Jade." he said stopping behind her.

The girl turned around to face him. Her eyes were hard and her expression cold.

"Good morning, Christopher." she said stiffly.

The boy winced. She didn't usually call him Christopher unless she was mad at him. She preferred the nickname Chris and rarely used his full name when she was talking to him.

"I, er, wanted to apologise." he said meekly.

He took a deep breath and launched in his full apology.

"I'm really sorry for having caused you worry and I am reflecting on my actions. I promise not willingly put myself in any kind danger from now on."

It sounded like he had recited something he had learnt by heart. He had probably learned it by heart, in fact. As she knew him, Christopher would have spent the night thinking of the best way to apologise to her.

"Apology accepted." she said with a smile but quickly became stern again. "I still want you to apologise to the others though."

Her twin nodded obediently and hurriedly sat by her side, smiling cheerfully as he filled his plate. As if he had timed his arrival, Ron made his way towards them and offered Jade and Hermione a sheepish apology before sitting with them.

The quartet being back to normal, they went on with their usual routine. Jade and Christopher chatted about the classes and the upcoming Quidditch matches. Ron listened while he ate as much food as he could in an appalling manner; and Hermione took out a book and started reading. She had taken _Voyages with Vampires_ by Gilderoy Lockhart which made Ron shoot her a disapproving look before going back to his sausages.

Ron was finishing his third serving when an owl crashed on the table in front of them. Jade recognised the sickly animal as Errol, the Weasley family's owl.

"Oh no!" said Ron.

"Don't worry he isn't dead." said Hermione carefully examining the collapsed owl.

"No that." said Ron sounding as if he really couldn't care less if it was dead or not. "Look."

The red haired boy pointed to a red envelope attached to the owl's paw.

"She sent me a Howler." he said anxiously.

"Of course she did. Did you expect anything less?" asked Jade without an ounce of compassion.

The boy looked at her petrified.

"You had better open it now, Ron." said Neville in a timid whisper on Ron's left side. "It's only going to get worse if you don't. Gran sent me one once, and I ignored it and" he gulped. "it was horrible."

Hermione was frowning not seeming to understand what was so terrible about the red envelope. Jade didn't bother explaining, the bushy haired girl would understand in a minute. The envelope had started to smoke at the corners. Ron gulped and opened it.

"…STEALING THE CAR, I WOULDN'T HVE BEEN SURPRISED IF THEY'D EXPELLED YOU, YOU WAIT TILL I GET HOLD OF YOU, I DON'T SUPPOSED YOU STOPPED TO THINK WHAT YOUR FATHER AND I WENT THROUGH WHEN WE SAW IT WAS GONE…"

Mrs Weasley's yells, amplified to sound at least a hundred times louder, filled the Hall. Many people were looking around, trying to see who had received the Howler. Hermione who was experiencing it for the first time, was looking extremely shocked as she tried her best to muffle the sound by putting her hands over her ears. Ron had turned crimson and was making himself as small as possible.

"…LETTER FROM DUMBLEDORE LAST NIGHT, I THOUGHT YOUR FATHER WOULD DIE OF SHAME, WE DIDN'T BRING YOU UP TO BEHAVE LIKE THIS, YOU AND CHRISTOPHER COULD BOTH HAVE DIED…"

Jade had been wondering when her brother's name would appear. She gave him a stern look when Mrs Weasley's voice yelled his name. Christopher had had the decency to blush before he became fascinated by his empty plate.

"…ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTED, YOUR FATHER'S FACING AN INQUIRY AT WORK, IT'S ENTIRELY YOUR FAULT AND F YOU UT ANOTHER TOE OUT OF LINE WE'LL BRING YOU STRAIGHT BACK HOME."

A ringing silence fell. The red envelope which had been floating just above the table, burst into flames and curled into ashes. There were a few laughs, mostly at the Slytherin table and conversations erupted, soon filling the Hall. Ron sat stunned, as though a tidal wave had just passed over him. Hermione was already recovering from her surprise and Christopher was giving Ron sympathetic glances. Jade finished her glass of pumpkin juice and wiped her mouth with a napkin.

She didn't say anything to the red haired and simply smiled as Hedwig swooped down and offered her paw where a pale blue envelope was tied. The snowy owl must have had waited outside for the Howler to end as had most owls. Jade picked the envelope up. On the front was written her name along with 'Christopher Potter' in neat handwriting.

"It's addressed to both of us so I'll read it out loud." she told her brother.

Christopher nodded anxiously; he had recognised his mother's handwriting and was apprehensive as to its content. Jade opened the enveloped and took out a neatly folded parchment.

"_Dear Jade and Christopher_,

_Yesterday night, your father and I received word from Dumbledore that Christopher had been involved in a highly dangerous feat which could have easily been rewarded by an expulsion. We were, of course reassured that neither Christopher nor Ron had been injured and that punishment that was not expulsion would be given. Now, Christopher I am sure that you have already received a telling off from your sister so I shall not go back on this mistake. I hope, however, that you have learnt from your misfortune and will be more careful in the future. I must insist, though, that you do not make your sister worry more than necessary as she is, as you well know, prone to worrying herself to death. _

_Jade, I trust you will have taken the necessary measures concerning your brother's mishap. I trust my daughter to have said the necessary words and taken the necessary actions to correct any flaw in her brother's attitude. I believe that by now you will have received an apology and I must ask of you not to hold anything against Christopher for this adventure as I am sure he will know better than to do it again. _

_If I have the displeasure of hearing from any other out of line behaviour, I shall make sure that you do not see Hogwart's gates again. _

_Please take good care of yourselves._

_Your loving mother,_

_Lily Potter, née Evans"_

Jade put the letter down once she had finished reading. Christopher was looking meek but relieved that it wasn't anything really bad. Jade was a little surprised that her mother had anticipated her reaction to Christopher's 'mishap' as she had so nicely put it. It seemed her mother knew her better than she had thought possible. Ron was frowning, probably trying to figure out a trap in her mother's words. Hermione was looking at the letter appreciatively.

"Well." said Jade calling her friends attention. "You have already heard my thoughts on this unfortunate matter, so I will not go back on it. I hope you will ensure that you take the necessary steps." she looked at the boys sternly. "Now, I will consider the whole incident over and will not mention it again. But, if something like this ever happens again, I promise you, you will not live long enough to see the next dawn."

The two boys paled at the threat and Hermione had to hide a smile. Jade was definitely a figure of authority. Professor McGonagall chose this moment to bring them their timetables. Jade took hers and saw that they had double Herbology with the Hufflepuffs first. Neville looked extremely pleased, he liked Herbology a lot and Hufflepuff was about the only house a part from Gryffindor who didn't make fun of him.

Jade usually didn't mind Herbology, it was a pretty interesting class even though it could also be extremely boring. However, two hours of battling with Mandrakes, plants who could return people who had been Transfigured or cursed to their original state (as Hermione had explained), her opinion of the class changed drastically. She also had an entirely different opinion of Neville who had actually **enjoyed** the class. She went to pat the boy on the shoulder at the end of class.

"I'm really sorry. It appears I have been underestimating you. You're probably the bravest Gryffindor around to actually like being around those little devils." she told a bemused Neville.

She then walked back to the Common Room for a quick wash before Transfiguration. As they walked back to Gryffindor Tower, Christopher told them about his conversation with Lockhart who had managed to kidnap him before Herbology. Apparently, the man was under the impression that Christopher had flown a car to get publicity. The story made Jade laugh heartily and comforted her in her belief that the Defence Professor was an idiot.

Transfiguration didn't help in improving the general mood. The class was attempting to turn beetles into buttons. As usual, Hermione was the first to manage the Transfiguration. Jade watched her friend attentively and managed to produce a perfectly acceptable button on her third try. Christopher was only succeeding in training his beetle for the Olympic Games and Ron seemed to have a problem with his wand. Jade watched the red haired produce thick grey smoke which smelled of rotten egg and suddenly realised why the boy was having so much trouble. His wand had been snapped, probably by the Whomping Willow and had been reattached with Spellotape. However, it looked like the attempted repair hadn't been very successful.

After lunch, Jade and Hermione abandoned Ron and Christopher to a photograph fanatic called Colin Creevey. The boy was a first year Muggleborn who had been sorted in Gryffindor. He had a passion for taking photos and had decided that Christopher was the best subject for his pictures.

Jade and Hermione were leaving the courtyard when they were stopped by Draco Malfoy and his goons.

"Stopped baby-sitting your famous brother Potter?" drawled the blond.

"Well, it may be difficult for you to understand, but there is this thing called independence. It basically means that a child has to start fending for himself and facing the world with his own strength." she said slowly as if she was talking to a small child. "Obviously, there are some people who rely on their parents all their lives."

"Watch your mouth, Potter." snarled Malfoy.

Thankfully, the bell rang and they all hurried to their next class, which, in Jade's case, was Defence Against the Dark Arts.

As soon as she had sat, Jade busied herself by piling all of Lockhart' s books in order to avoid seeing the real one, who was standing at the front of the class, in brilliant turquoise robes, with a shiny smile plastered on his face. By the raven haired girl's side, Hermione was gazing at their teacher adoringly. Jade rolled her eyes at her friend and gave the man a look of plain disgust.

Once everyone was seated, Lockhart picked up a copy of _Travels with Trolls_ on the nearest table, which was incidentally Neville's.

"Me." he said pointing at a picture of his own self winking. "Gilderoy Lockhart, Order of Merlin, Third Class, Honorary Member of the Dark Force Defence League and five times winner of _Witch Weekly's_ Most-Charming-Smile Award; but I don't talk about that. I didn't get rid of the Bandon Banshee by _smiling_ at her."

He might as well have, thought Jade. His smile was sparkling so much it was blinding! Seeing as the laughter he had expected didn't come, Lockhart continued his speech.

"I see you've all bought a complete set of my books, well done. I thought we'd start today with a little quizz. Nothing to worry about, just to check how well you've read them, how much you've taken in…"

Jade snorted. She hadn't even opened the damn books. Just looking at the picture of that obnoxious blond on the cover made her feel sick. No way, she was actually going to pick the thing up and read it. Lockhart finished handing out the papers and walked back to the front of the class.

"You have thirty minutes. Start now." he said.

Jade looked down at her test and read the questions.

_What is Gilderoy Lockhart's favourite colour?_

_What is Gilderoy Lockhart's secret ambition?_

_What, in your opinion, is Gilderoy Lockhart's greatest achievement to date?_

It went on like that on three pages, down to:

_54. When is Gilderoy Lockhart's birthday and what would his ideal gift be?_

After a quick scan of the questions, Jade noted that all the questions had 'Gilderoy Lockhart' in them at least once. It was appalling really how someone could be so full of himself to the point of writing his name everywhere. Jade took her quill and started writing random answers, the first three being: the colour of a bruise, to make our lives a living hell (if it's a secret ambition we're not supposed to now it, you damn idiot!), and, his greatest achievement would be too disappear but he hasn't managed that yet. She finally placed a final dot after her last answer: I don't know and really couldn't care less. She spent the three remaining minutes staring at the ceiling.

"Time up." called Lockhart gathering the tests.

He scanned the contents of the papers and giving comments. He gave Gryffindor ten points, because Hermione had replied correctly to all the questions. When the man saw Jade's test he paled visibly. He quickly placed the tests on his desk and turned back to the class, clearing his throat loudly.

"And so, to business…" he picked a covered cage and put it on his desk. "Now, be warned! It is my job to arm you against the foulest creatures known to wizardkind! You may find yourselves facing your worst fears in this room. Know only that no harm can befall you whilst I am here. All I ask is that you remain calm."

Jade leaned forward to get a better look at the cage. Lockhart placed a hand on the cover and, after asking them not to scream, lifted the cover. Cornish Pixies were revealed in a dramatic gesture. Seamus Finnigan let out a snort of laughter.

"They're-they're not exactly dangerous." he choked between laughs.

"Don't be so sure." said Lockhart visibly displeased by the lack of effect. "Right then, let's see what you make of them."

The man opened the cage and the pixies shot in every direction. It was an absolute fiasco. Two pixies took Neville by the ears and hung him on the candelabra. Several others sprayed ink everywhere while five pixies were smashing the windows. After, he had thrown a completely useless spell, Lockhart's wand was thrown out the window by a pixie and the man had to dive under his desk in order not to get squashed by Neville who had finally fallen down. The bell rang and all the students fled the classroom. Jade, and her little group weren't quick enough though. Lockhart caught sight of them.

"Well, I'll ask you four to just nip the rest of them back into their cage." he said leaving the room hurriedly and closing the door behind him.

"Can you believe that guy?" asked Ron in disbelief.

"He just wants to give us some hands-on experience." said Hermione catching two pixies with a Freezing Charm and levitating them back in the cage.

"Hands on?" asked Christopher attempting to catch a dancing pixie. "Hermione, you saw him, he didn't have a clue what he was doing!"

"Rubbish." said Hermione. "You've read his books; look at all the amazing things he's done…"

"That he says he's done." corrected Jade as she sent three petrified pixies to the cage. "And I for one haven't read his books and from what I have just seen, I draw the conclusion that he is a complete idiot who has probably never seen a Dark Creature in his life, let alone battled it."

She froze the last two pixies and sent to the cage before locking it up. She then swung her bag on her shoulder and resolutely left the room.

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**It may be a bit unclear but Jade isn't annoyed at Hermione at the end of the chapter, she simply states her honest opinion.**


	4. Chapter 4

**I haven't mentioned it for a while, but the usual disclaimers applies: I do not own Harry Potter, etc…**

**Thank you readers, I hope you will like this chapter.**

**KGC112:**** Actually it's going to be a very long while. I think the first signs will appear around fourth year.**

**Ally of Darkness:**** Somehow I couldn't imagine Jade answering the quiz seriously and actually it kind of reflects what I would have written if I had been given the thing ^^**

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Saturday mornings were, in Jade's opinion, sacred. It was after all, the first morning of the week-end and one when you were allowed to sleep as long as you wanted even if it meant you would only get up at lunchtime. This was especially true when you had had a difficult week; and Jade considered that bearing with Lockhart and Colin Creevey, who was practically stalking Christopher, made a week extremely difficult. Therefore she felt that she was entitled to a lazy Saturday morning.

Fate seemed to be thinking differently, though, as an exhausted looking Alicia Spinnet came to wake her up at an indecently early hour.

"Whassamatter?" mumbled Jade.

"Wood." replied the older girl. "He wants an early Quidditch Practice."

Jade opened her eyes and looked at the girl. Alicia had dark circles under his eyes and still looked half-asleep. Jade looked out the window at the pink and gold mist. She then looked back to her teammate with an incredulous expression. The older girl shrugged and left the room motioning her to hurry up.

Ten minutes later, Jade was walking down to the Quidditch pitch in the worst mood ever. The birds' chirping was getting on her nerves and being awake that early was against all her beliefs. Jade decided she would have to convert herself to a religion that forbids Quidditch Practice at such early hours. She opened the door to the changing room where the rest of the team was waiting.

"Wood." she said glaring at the Captain. "It's the crack of dawn."

"Exactly. It's part of our new training programme." said the tall, burly boy enthusiastically.

"I'm not going to do this every bleeding Saturday." announced Jade firmly. "Waking up so early on a week-end should be against the law in the first place."

She continued mumbling darkly as she went to sit by the Weasley twins. Her fellow teammates were looking just as tired as her. In fact, quite a few looked like they were about to fall asleep again. Wood started explaining new tactics with the help of a large diagram of a Quidditch pitch. Once he had finished to explain Jade felt like she could have cried of happiness, except, Wood took out another diagram and continued his explanations. Most of the team was sleeping by the time he put the third one down. George had collapsed on Alicia's shoulder and was snoring lightly. Angelina Johnson and Katie Bell were dozing off side by side.

"Is that clear? Any questions?" asked Wood looking around brightly.

"I have a question." said Fred. "Why couldn't you have told us all of that yesterday when we were awake?"

Jade thought it was an excellent question but wood didn't look pleased.

"Now, listen here, you lot." he said glowering at his team. "We should have won the Quidditch Cup last year. We're easily the best team. But unfortunately, owing to circumstances beyond our control…" Wood sighed heavily and Jade felt a pang of guilt. "So, this year, we train harder than ever before…OK, let's go and put our new theories into practice!" shouted the sixth year boy.

The team followed him outside. The sun was up now and Jade saw her friends sitting in the stands.

"Haven't finished yet?" asked Ron incredulously.

"Haven't even started." grumbled Jade looking enviously at the toast Ron was holding.

The raven haired girl mounted her broom and flew up in the air. She raced with Fred and George around the pitch for a little when they heard some shouts from the ground. They stopped and looked down at Wood who was bellowing at the Captain of the Slytherin team, Marcus Flint.

"But I booked the pitch, I booked it." shouted Wood.

Jade exchanged a glance with the twins and they dived to the ground. The hurriedly went to stand by Wood's side.

"Ah, yes," said Flint with a smirk. "But I've got a specially signed note here from Professor Snape. _I,Professor , give the Slytherin team permission to practise today on the Quidditch Pitch, owing to the need to train their new Seeker._"

"And where would that new Seeker be?" asked Jade raising an eyebrow.

A smaller figure detached itself from the group. A pale boy, with a smirk plastered on his pointy face came forward.

"Madboy." said Jade. "I should've known you would resort to some kind of tricks. I take it you still haven't understood the meaning of 'Independence' then." she said looking pointedly at the brand new brooms that the Slytherins were holding. "I supposed Daddy Madboy gave you these."

Malfoy's smirk turned into a snarl.

"Daddy Madboy?" said Fred looking puzzled.

"Do you mean Lucius Malfoy?" asked George.

"Yes Draco's father made a very generous gift to the Slytherin team." said Flint showing off his broom. "Nimbus Two Thousand And One, only came out last month. I believe it outstrips the old Two Thousand series by a considerable amount. As for the Cleansweeps…" he shot a nasty grin at the twins who were both clutching Cleansweep Fives. "sweeps the board with them."

"That's pretty impressive." agreed Jade. "I guess it's a choice. We favour talent rather than money, but I guess not everybody can afford to do the same."

Flint looked at her threateningly.

"It just shows the extent of their incompetence." added Hermione who had arrived with Christopher and Ron.

"Shut up, you little Mudblood." snarled Malfoy.

The reactions were immediate. Fred and George launched on him and Flint had to dive in front of Malfoy so that the younger boy wouldn't get hurt. Alicia shrieked 'How dare you?' while her fellow Chasers paled noticeably. Ron had taken his wand out.

"You'll pay for this, Malfoy." said the red haired boy.

However, the spell backfired and Ron fell to the floor. Hermione, Christopher and the rest of Gryffindor team hurried over to him as he started vomiting slugs. Jade was the only one who stayed behind, watching the Slytherin team laughing hysterically. They managed to calm a little and Jade walked forward. Her face was blank and yet a threat was hanging in the air. The Slytherins suddenly became very uncomfortable. Of course they would never show that they were, not when the reason was a second year girl, not to mention a Gryffindor. Jade stopped in front of Malfoy. She raised her hand and muttering an incantation under her breath she slapped the blond as hard as she could. The sound of the slap echoed around the silent pitch. A deep red mark appeared on Malfoy's cheek. Jade had recited an incantation her mother had taught her, thanks to that the slap mark wouldn't fade as quickly as it normally would. The Slytherin team was stunned and didn't react as the raven haired girl walked over to her friend's side.

"Let's take him to Hagrid." she said calmly to Hermione and Christopher. "It's nearest."

The three of them took Ron away towards the hut, under the bemused stares of both teams. The Gryffindor team was thinking that Jade was definitely the scariest person they had ever met. Even Wood was thinking that maybe he shouldn't wake up her up so early on Saturday mornings.

They spent the next hour with Hagrid, criticising Lockhart and the Malfoys. Hagrid took delight in teasing Christopher on Ginny's fascination of him and showed them the enormous pumpkin he as growing for Halloween. It was finally lunch time and jade dragged her friends back to the castle. Having had nothing for breakfast she was positively starving. As soon as they had sat at the table she started piling food in her plate.

They had just started eating when Christopher and Ron received letters from Professor McGonagall concerning their detentions.

"I'm going to clean the Trophy room for Filch, tonight." announced Ron. "What do you have?" he asked turning to Christopher.

Jade looked at her twin curiously. The boy was scowling at his letter.

"I'm with Lockhart." he said darkly. "I have to help him sort his fan mail."

Jade burst out laughing. Christopher looked at her reproachfully.

"It's not funny! It's going to be hell!" he exclaimed.

"W-well it is supposed to be a punishment." said Jade wiping tears from her eyes.

Christopher sent her a dark look and went back to his meal.

**JPJPJPJPJP (again a problem with the separation line...)**

The rest of the day flew by and soon enough Jade found herself walking on her own through empty corridors. Ron and Christopher had gone to their detention and she had just left Hermione in the library. Jade sighed. She felt extremely tired. She hoped she wouldn't have any nightmares that night because she really needed to catch up on some sleep.

She walked across a second floor corridor. Suddenly a voice filled the corridor. Jade froze. It was a cruel voice, one filled with cold venom, one that froze the blood in your veins.

"_Come_…_Come to me…Let me rip you….Let me tear you…Let me kill you…_"

The voice was gone as soon as it had appeared but Jade stood frozen to her spot for a while. Finally, she managed to make her legs move and, her heart beating loudly in her chest, she hurried back to Gryffindor Tower. She sat in her bed for hours shivering at the memory of the voice and green light flashing in front of her eyes.

She didn't get any rest that night. Every time she fell asleep, green light flashed all around her and the voice filled the silence. After she had woken up for the third time, she gave up on sleeping and simply lay in her bed, eyes wide open staring at the canopy above her.

Jade had never been more grateful to see the sun rising. She got up quickly and busied herself with her morning routine. She walked down to the Great Hall with Hermione for breakfast. The raven haired girl was still shaken from her encounter with the voice. She had a vague feeling that it couldn't have been a prank. She didn't believe that anyone would be able to speak like that. It was such a terrifying voice.

The two girls were soon joined by Christopher and Ron. The two boys started complaining about their respective detentions and soon the group was laughing heartily at the stories of Lockhart's fan mail. By the time they left the Great Hall, Jade had nearly forgotten about the voice.

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The Halloween feast took place that night. Jade had yet another opportunity to demonstrate her ability to eat twice as much as a normal person and the twins were cheerfully joking about Lockhart. The man had become somewhat of a joke as everybody had soon realized he was completely incompetent. Only a few purists like Hermione were still convinced he was great. Of course, the base of their belief lied in the books that Jade hadn't read. No matter how much Jade tried to tell Hermione that books didn't always tell the truth, Hermione remained firm in her conviction that Lockhart was a hero.

They were leaving the feast and walking back to Gryffindor Tower, laughing and joking when Jade heard the voice again.

"…_rip…tear…kill…_" it hissed.

Jade came to halt. She clutched at the stone wall as the cold venom seeped into her veins. Hermione, Ron and Christopher all turned around to look at her with worried expressions.

"Are you okay?" asked Hermione frowning. "Do you need to go to the Hospital Wing?"

Jade looked at her wide-eyed could she not hear the voice? She should have, even though it was barely more of a whisper it filled the corridor and covered all other sounds.

"Can't you hear it?" she whispered.

"Can't hear what?" asked Christopher looking more and more worried.

"That- that voice!" said Jade louder than she should have.

A few people around them, looked at them in surprise.

"_So hungry…for sso long…._" said the voice.

"Listen!" whispered Jade urgently.

"…_kill…time to kill…_"

The voice grew fainter. Jade got the impression it was moving…

"Jade, there's no voice…" said Hermione but her friend wasn't listening to her.

…it was moving upwards. The raven haired girl started to run up the stairs.

"This way!" she shouted to her friends who hurriedly ran after her.

Jade was feeling slightly nauseous. Whoever or whatever it was that had talked was going to kill someone. She had to stop them. Especially, since it seemed she was the only one who could hear the voice.

"…_I smell blood…I SMELL BLOOD!_" said the faint voice.

Jade ran faster, her friends trying their best to keep up with her. The raven haired girl was desperate. She hoped that nobody had been killed yet. But the voice had said it smelled blood….

She ran around the second floor and turned into a deserted corridor. She stopped suddenly.

"Jade, what was that about?" asked Ron panting heavily as he stopped behind her.

The raven haired girl didn't reply she was staring fixedly at the wall in front of her. Slowly her friends turned their gaze towards the wall. Hermione gasped and Ron swore. Letters had been written on the wall. It was written in a dark liquid that shined in the feeble light. Jade's stomach lurched when she realized it was blood. The raven haired girl managed to get beyond her disgust and read the message.

**THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS HAS BEEN OPENED**

**ENNEMIES OF THE HEIR BEWARE**

The quartet stood silently gazing at the message in horror. Jade noticed a dark shape hanging from a torch. She squinted trying to determine what it was.

"What's that thing underneath?" asked Ron with fear in his voice.

Jade took a step closer and inhaled sharply.

"It's Mrs Norris." she whispered.

Hermione gave a strangled cry as they all gazed at the cat's limp form. Mrs Norris was hanging by her tail, her eyes wide open and fearful. She looked stiff.

"Let's get out of here." said Ron suddenly.

"Shouldn't we try to help?" said Hermione weakly.

Jade couldn't say anything. She couldn't detach her eyes from the cat. She had failed. The voice had gotten there before her. She couldn't stop it from killing. A little voice at the back of her head murmured that at least, it was a cat and not a human being. It didn't make her feel better, though. A life was a life and when it was lost there was nothing anyone could do.

"Trust me, we don't want to be found here." said Ron.

The moment he said it, Jade knew it was too late. She was still looking at the cat but she could hear footsteps approaching. Soon murmurs filled the corridor as people caught sight of the cat and the message. Still, Jade couldn't look away. After the murmurs, shocked silence fell upon the crowd of students. Then a voice cried out.

"Enemies of the heir, you'll be next Mudbloods!"

Jade turned around and faced the direction from where the voice had sounded. She gazed intently at the students there. Most of them were Slytherins, smirking with gleeful expressions on their faces. At the front of the crowd, stood Malfoy smiling widely as he watched the hanging cat. Jade felt disgust as she looked at the blond. Her green eyes flashed with pure hatred.

"What's going on?" screeched Filch from the end of the corridor.

The man had no doubt been attracted by the yell and was now limping in their direction. As soon as he came in sight of the wall he paled.

"My cat!" he cried. "What's happened to Mrs Norris?"

His eyes fell upon Jade who was closest to the wall.

"_You_. You murdered her!" he yelled angrily.

Jade didn't reply. She couldn't deny because she had had a chance to stop it and hadn't. Even if she hadn't been the one to kill the cat she was responsible for it.

"I'll kill you! I'll…" Filch was cut off by Dumbledore who had just arrived, accompanied by most of the staff.

"Argus." called Dumbledore calmly.

Filch stopped yelling, but kept on glaring murderously at Jade. In a few moments, Dumbledore had swept by her and detached Mrs Norris.

"Come with me Argus." he said as he walked back through the crowd. "You too Mr and Miss Potter, as well as Miss Granger and Mr Weasley."

"Go to my office, it's nearest." suggested Lockhart eagerly.

"Thank you, Gilderoy." said Dumbledore.

The four children followed silently behind the Headmaster, along with Filch, Lockhart who looked excited and important, Snape and McGonagall. Christopher noticing his twin's distress placed an arm around her gently. She gave him a weak smile but soon became sombre again.

They entered Lockhart's office. All the Lockharts on the portraits that covered the wall jumped out of view as the real one lit the candles around the room. Dumbledore laid Mrs Norris delicately on the desk and began examining her. Heavy silence fell upon the room as everybody waited for the headmaster's verdict. Then Lockhart started making suggestions on which curses could have possibly killed the cat.

"It was probably the Transmogrifian Torture curse that killed her." Filch whimpered. "I've seen it used many times, so unlucky I wasn't there…"

The man was forced to stop as Jade raised her wand towards him and muttered a _Silencio_. None of the teachers commented, though Lockhart sent her furious glares. Jade was pretty sure that at this moment, nobody, not even Hermione, wanted to hear Lockhart bragging about his supposed achievements. The minutes seemed to pass slower than ever as they waited in silence broken, once in a while, by Filch's sobs.


	5. Chapter 5

**Ladies and gentlemen please welcome Chef's Special to the lovely world of reviewers (all right, all right: member reviewers)! **

**On this note I would like to give my special thanks to all the readers who have favorited my stories, and since I'm feeling generous I shall extend my thanks to all readers!**

**Chef's Special:**** Thank you for your review and your faithful reading! You are officially my third member-reviewer! (to be fair to everyone I had guest reviewers before…)**

**Ally of Darkness and KGC112:**** Why would you assume that Mrs Norris was dead? I haven't quite killed her off just yet^^ Well I won't spoil the chapter any more than that; you'll just have to read and find out!**

**kawaiigrlmari (that's your name isn't it?):**** I will only tell you not to jump to conclusions ^^**

**Guest n°2 (I just hope you'll recognize yourself):**** It's true that they grew up in the wizarding world, but I was under the impression that house-elves usually served rich and noble families. I don't think one would see one in the streets for example. As the Potters are a middle-class family (as I see it), they do not have house-elves which is why Christopher and Jade have never seen one before. They obviously know that they exist and what they are, the twins just don't know what they look like. I hope that was clear ^^**

**Guest n°3 (again I hope you recognize yourself):**** I'm afraid I don't understand your question…If you are referring to the beginning of their relationship (romantic relationship), I believe I said later years ^^, so not necessarily the last…As for fourth year, yes the Yule Ball does ring a bell, but I won't say anything else!**

* * *

After long minutes, Dumbledore raised his head and turned his brilliant blue gaze to them.

"She is not dead, Argus." he said.

There were gasps of surprise and sighs of relief around the room.

"Not dead?" shrieked Filch. "But she's all stiff and frozen…"

"She has been petrified." explained Dumbledore. "However, I do not know how…"

"It's her!" cried Filch pointing his trembling finger at Jade.

"No second year could have done this. It would take extremely advanced Dark magic…" attempted to say Dumbledore.

"It's her!" interrupted Filch still screaming in rage. "It has to be! She was there! She wrote the message in blood!"

Jade was barely listening. Relief had washed over her when Dumbledore had announced that Mrs Norris wasn't dead. Now she was thinking hard. Who could have done it? Most people had been at the Halloween Feast and the headmaster had said it would take an advanced level of Dark magic…Snape's sneer brought her back to reality.

"Potter and her little friends may have been at the wrong place at the wrong moment." he said showing clearly he didn't believe a word of it. "But we do have a set of suspicious circumstances. Why were you on a second floor corridor when your Common Room is on the seventh?"

Hermione, Ron and Christopher started giving explanations. Jade doubted anyone could make anything of the jumble of words. She should just tell them the truth and be done with it but somehow she doubted it would be that easy. It was actually suspicious that she could hear a voice that no one else could hear. At best, they wouldn't believe her and in the worst case scenario they would think she was the one who had done it. At the rate they were going they would be getting into trouble anyway, though…

"I heard a voice." all eyes turned towards the raven haired girl.

"You heard a voice…" repeated Snape slowly.

"Yes, a kind of whispering." said Jade gazing steadily at the Potions Master. "It was saying that it was going to kill, so I followed it."

The room was silent for a minute.

"And you heard this voice as well?" asked Snape turning to the other students.

Hermione, Christopher and Ron looked uneasy but didn't say a word, not wanting to betray their friend.

"I was the only one who could hear it." replied Jade.

"Such a coincidence." said Snape drily.

"In any case," interrupted Dumbledore whose blue gaze was set on Jade. "There is no evidence pointing to Miss Potter. We shall, of course, further investigate this matter. However, for now, I think rest is in order for all of us." the old wizard turned to Madam Pomfrey. "Poppy, would you mind taking Mrs Norris to the Hospital Wing." the nurse nodded and ushered to take the cat. "Pomona, I believe you were growing Mandrakes. We will need them to brew the remedy for Mrs Norris. I will leave the brewing to you Severus. Minerva I will let you take care of your students."

Professor McGonagall led them out of the office and escorted them back to the Common Room. The four Gryffindors were silent, thinking about what had just happened.

* * *

In the next few days, Jade barely saw Hermione without a book in her hands. The bushy haired girl had been reading even more than usual. Jade had tried asking what exactly she was researching but she had only gotten unintelligible mutterings in answer. So, Jade was pretty much alone as Christopher and Ron were always fighting to finish their homework. She had enough leisure time to notice the many rumours spreading through the school about Mrs Norris. The words written in blood had also spread like wildfire and the students were working on theories concerning the meaning of Chamber of Secrets. Not many people seemed to know what it was though the teachers were often seen with concerned looks whenever they heard of it.

She also noticed that some students, mostly Hufflepufs, avoided her. The news that she had been the first to find Mrs Norris was common knowledge and it was clear that some people believed that she had been the one to attack the cat. This belief was helped by Argus Filch who didn't lose a chance to accuse her loudly of petrifying his cat. Jade ignored them all and went on with her life. The only difference was that she was always expecting to hear the voice at any given moment. It didn't reappear though and soon a week had past.

Hermione finally stopped reading frantically from morning to night. On Tuesday, they had History of Magic with Binns. It was terribly dull, as usual. Professor Binns was rambling about the International Warlock Convention in 1289. It wasn't long until every student was either asleep or in a daze. Halfway through the lesson, Hermione shot her hand up in the air. The ghost looked absolutely amazed. There had probably been no students in hundreds of years who had asked a question in his class.

"Yes, Miss, er?" said the ghost looking like he didn't recognize her at all (which he probably didn't).

"Granger. I was wondering if you could tell us about the Chamber of Secrets?"

Jade who had been about to fall asleep, looked up gazing expectantly at the teacher. The whole class imitated her.

"I am a History teacher. I am not supposed to talk about myths and legends." said Professor Binns sounding cross that someone had interrupted his lecture for such a ridiculous thing.

"But, Professor, aren't legends based on facts?" asked Hermione.

"W-well…One could argue that…" said the ghost reluctantly.

With all the students expectant eyes fixed on him, the History teacher didn't have much of a choice. With a deep sigh he started his explanation.

"When Salazar Slytherin, who believed that only purebloods should be taught at Hogwarts, got into an argument with the other founders, he left the school. However, before he left, he is said to have constructed a Secret Chamber. Slytherin, according to the fanciful legends sealed the Chamber of Secrets so that no one but his true heir could enter it. The heir alone would be able to release the horror within, and use it to purge the school of all who were unworthy to study magic."

A heavy silence followed. Professor Binns looked slightly irritated by the tension filling the room. All the students were still looking at him waiting for more information.

"The whole thing is arrant nonsense of course, the school has been searched many times and nothing has been found. The Chamber of Secrets does not exist. It is only a tale to frighten the gullible. " said the ghost.

Hermione raised her hand again.

"Sir, what do you mean by 'horror within'?" she asked.

"It is said to be some kind of monster that only the heir can control." replied the ghost grumpily.

Looks of unease and fear appeared on the students' faces. This only succeeded in exasperating Professor Binns even more.

"It does not exist, I tell you! It is but a mere legend!"

"But, sir." said Seamus Finnigan. "If the Chamber could only be opened by the true heir, then that would mean that nobody else _would_ be able to find it."

"Nonsense, O'Flaherty." snapped Binns. "Many great wizards and witches have searched the grounds with no success. There is no Chamber and no monster!"

With that, Professor Binns continued his lecture and soon the class was back to its usual torpor. Jade wasn't sleeping anymore though. The information she had been given on the Chamber of Secrets was being carefully analysed in her head. What she couldn't understand was how the Chamber would be able to recognise the true heir of Slytherin. Blood would not be enough as a lot of wizarding families, especially purebloods, were related to the four founders. The Potters themselves were descendants of Godric Gryffindor. In fact she knew that at least ten other wizarding families were related to Gryffindor. The main reason for this was the pureblood tradition of always marrying another pureblood. As a result, most pureblood families were related some way or another. For instance the Potters were anciently related to the Black family since one of their daughters had married into the Potter line some decades ago. In the same way the Malfoys were related to the blacks through Narcissa Malfoy, née Black. And through marriages, you could say that the Potters were distant relatives of the Malfoys. Nowadays, you could practically call a pureblood marrying another pureblood, inbreeding.

So blood wasn't an option. So what could make the 'true' heir special amongst all the possible heirs of Slytherins? What did the true imply? Maybe, one would need a special item. A ring inherited from Slytherin, for example. Jade knew that in many ancient families the Head of House would possess the ring with the crest of the house on it. That ring was then passed down to the heir. Maybe, that was it. Except the Slytherin house had died long ago when the name had disappeared. Meaning the ring had been lost, probably given to a daughter. However, there was no way of knowing who could now be in possession of such an heirloom. It could be anyone, or rather any pureblood.

There was also the possibility that it wasn't a ring that was needed to prove you were the heir. After all, having the ring didn't mean that you were the true heir of Slytherin. A ring could be stolen, or in the case of the Slytherin line, it would be passed down the children who had not inherited the name of Slytherin and who belonged to another house. Also, Professor Binns had said that nothing had been found. Therefore if the Chamber existed it would unnoticeable. This meant that it probably wasn't a ring since you would need a kind mechanism to present the ring, or any other item actually.

Jade was still pondering over the Chamber of Secrets when the class ended. She followed Hermione out of the classroom, in deep thoughts. The two girls joined Ron and Christopher and they all went back to Gryffindor tower. Suddenly, Jade stopped. Her friends turned to look at her.

"Do you mind if we drop by the second floor corridor?" she asked innocently.

The three Gryffindors immediately understood what she meant and they nodded their heads enthusiastically. On the way, they had to fight their way through a crowd of students. Many whispers followed them through their journey.

"Hi Christopher!" called Colin Creevey. "A boy in my class said that your sister is…" the small boy couldn't say anything more because he disappeared in the crowd.

Christopher frowned.

"What do people say my sister is?" he asked to no one in particular.

"The heir of Slytherin, I suppose." answered Jade nonchalantly.

"People here would believe anything!" said Hermione in disgust.

Jade shrugged. They managed to get away from the crowd and the raven haired girl led her group to the corridor where Mrs Norris had been found. All signs of the incident had been removed.

"Scorch marks." remarked Christopher bending to look at the floor.

Jade examined the two locations that her brother was pointing at.

"Come and look at this!" called Hermione from a nearby window. "This is funny…"

Jade, Ron and Christopher went over to where the girl was standing. About twenty spiders were frantically trying to get out through a crack in the top panel of the window. A long silver thread was hanging as if they had all climbed up to leave.

"Have you ever seen spiders act like that?" asked Hermione as they watched them scuttle out.

"No." said Jade thoughtfully. "It is rather strange…"

"I haven't either." agreed Christopher. "What about you Ron?"

No hearing any answers, they all turned to the red haired boy. Ron was standing well back and looked like he wanted to break into a run.

"Ron?" called Christopher again, with an amused smile this time.

"I don't like them, okay?" said the red haired, a faint blush colouring his cheeks.

"But you use them often in Potion. You never had a problem with them before." said Hermione sounding surprised.

"I don't mind them dead." explained the boy. "I don't like the way they move." the others looked at him sceptically. "Look, you wouldn't like them either if your teddy bear had been turned into a spider!"

Jade snorted in laughter.

"Your teddy bear was turned into a spider? How did that happen?" she asked trying not to laugh.

"When I was three, I broke Fred's toy broomstick. You wouldn't like them either if the teddy bear you had been cuddling suddenly had to many legs…" he shuddered.

His three friends couldn't help grinning at the red haired boy. Jade was still trying not to laugh. Feeling that it was time to change subjects, Christopher started examining the floor again.

"Do you remember the water on the floor when we found Mrs Norris?" asked the boy.

Jade turned to look at him.

"There was water on the floor?" she asked genuinely surprised.

"You don't remember?" asked Christopher looking up at his sister. "Well, I guess you wouldn't. You barely took your eyes of Mrs Norris. You were so worked up that you probably didn't even notice." he said turning back to the wall. "There was a lot of water over there."

Jade looked at the bottom of the wall where Christopher was pointing.

"The thing is, I can't think of where it could have come from." said Christopher.

Frowning, they started to search for the origin of the water.

"I think it was near that door." said Ron reaching for the doorknob.

The red haired boy suddenly withdrew his hand as if it had burnt him. Jade gave him a questioning glance.

"Can't go in there, it's a girl's bathroom." explained Ron.

Jade snorted. The way he said it, one would think that entering a girl's bathroom was the worse crime possible.

"Oh don't be silly." she said approaching the door. "There won't be anyone here anyway, that's Moaning Myrtle's bathroom."

The raven haired girl opened the door and entered the bathroom. Hermione followed her quickly but the boys were a bit more hesitant. The bathroom was the gloomiest place Jade had ever set foot in. And Merlin knew she found bathrooms gloomy enough normally, with all those mirrors everywhere. This one though, was worse. On top of there being old, spotted mirrors on top of cracked sinks, the entire floor was covered with a thin layer of water. Wherever Jade chose to look her face was reflected to her. She gulped. This wasn't the moment to lose it. She tried her best to keep her cool and forced a blank mask on her face.

"Hello Myrtle, are you there?" called Hermione taking a few steps forward.

A dramatic sob rang in the room. The boys rolled their eyes and Jade nearly smiled. Nearly being the key word in this sentence. Though, she clearly saw the irony of her friends' reactions she couldn't bring herself to feel any amusement when she was surrounded by those hellish mirrors. She felt bad for mocking Ron about his fear of spiders now that she was faced with her own.

Moaning Myrtle floated towards them glancing suspiciously at the boys.

"This is _girl's_ bathroom. _They're_ not girls." said the ghost pouting.

"We wanted to introduce them to you." said Jade feeling like she would pass out if they spent too long in the bathroom. "Also we were wandering if you knew anything about the incident of the other night. You know, Halloween."

"I didn't notice anything." said Myrtle. "Peeves upsets me so much I came in here and tried to _kill_ myself. Of course after that I remembered that I was…that I was…"

"Already dead." offered Ron.

The ghost let out a wail and soared in the air before plunging head first in a toilet, splashing water all over them.

With a shrug, Jade walked out of the bathroom trying not to actually run away.

"Always so cheerful." she muttered.


	6. Chapter 6

**Second chapter of the week, I hope you will enjoy it and don't forget that lovely button with Review written on it!**

* * *

Jade was dutifully writing her Charms' essay, when a Ron slammed his book shut, making her jump. It surprised her even more when Hermione shut her book as well. Jade looked between the two of them wildly. Christopher seemed as surprised as her sister and was looking questioningly at their two friends.

"What is it?" asked Jade finally.

"Who do you think it is?" asked Hermione.

Jade didn't need to ask what the bushy haired girl was talking about. She knew it was about the heir of Slytherin. The raven haired girl glanced at her surroundings nervously. They were currently sitting in the Gryffindor Common Room. Curfew had started five minutes ago, so most students were there. They were mainly doing their homework but a few of them were playing or chatting near the fire. Jade turned back to look at Hermione. It had only been two hours since they had come back from Moaning Myrtle's bathroom and she was still trying to recover from the trauma of entering the 'nest of the Devil'. In the bathroom she shared with the girls in her dorm she had made sure to place the mirrors in such a way that she didn't have to look at them. The other girls had just taken it as a redecorating spree and had just let it go.

"Well, if you think about it," said Jade. "When you talk of someone who hates all Muggle-borns and half-bloods and would be happy to see them dead, there's only one person who stands out from the rest."

The others looked at her with confusion written on their faces.

"What do you mean?" asked Christopher.

Jade raised her eyes in exasperation.

"I mean Malfoy, obviously!" she told them. "The git's the only person I know that's open about his hatred for Muggles."

Her three friends exchanged doubtful glances. Finally, Hermione spoke up.

"But do you really think he's the true heir of Slytherin?"

"Well, he's in Slytherin…" said Jade looking sheepish.

"But there's loads of people who are in Slytherin!" remarked Christopher.

"Yes, but he's the only one who goes around showing his blatant happiness at the news of Muggle-borns being killed." said Jade.

Christopher didn't seem very convinced. In fact, the only one who looked convinced other than Jade herself was Ron. However the red haired hated Malfoy with a passion so he wasn't the best judge. Still, Jade was absolutely sure that the heir of Slytherin had to be Malfoy. After all, he was a pureblood from an ancient and noble family who could very well be related to Salazar Slytherin. Now, the only thing was, what could be the proof that he was? If she found that she could prove it was him and perhaps even get a clue as to where the Chamber of Secrets was. She just needed to find proof. And since she wasn't willing to go back to Myrtle's bathroom, the next best place was Slytherin Common Room.

"Guys, we need to go into the Slytherin Common Room." announced Jade.

The others looked confuse.

"We need to go there to find proof." she explained.

Comprehension washed over her friends.

"There is a way." said Hermione cautiously. "Of course, it would be difficult and dangerous, very dangerous. Not to mention we would be breaking about fifty school rules."

Three expectant faces turned to her. Jade suspected that Ron was more excited about the 'breaking about fifty school rules' part rather than the 'entering Slytherin Common Room'. She couldn't blame him, though. Breaking fifty school rules at once had to be a record. She doubted that even the Weasley twins had ever managed it.

"We could use Polyjuice Potion." said Hermione.

"What's that?" asked Christopher.

"It's a potion that enables you to transform into someone else. However, it takes a long time to brew and you need something from the person you want to change into, like a hair or a nail for example." explained the bushy hared girl.

"I see." agreed Jade. "That way we could transform into four Slytherins and ask Malfoy questions without him suspecting anything."

"Precisely."

"This sounds a bit dodgy to me." said Ron. "What if we stay stuck as Slytherins?"

"It wears off after a while." said Hermione impatiently. "Getting our hands on the recipe won't be easy, though. Snape said that it was in a book called _Most Potent Potions_ and it's bound to be in the restricted section."

Jade frowned. To get in the library's restricted section they would need a note signed by one of the teachers. It wouldn't be easy to get one, as the teachers would most likely ask them why they needed it and they couldn't really reveal their plan.

"It's going to be hard to explain why we want that book if we don't plan on actually making the potions." mused the raven haired girl.

"Maybe, if we look like we're only interested in the theory…" said Hermione uncertainly.

Jade grinned wickedly as she turned to her brother.

"Or, if that doesn't work we could always have Chris ask Lockhart for a favour." she said.

Her twin grimaced which caused her to smile even more widely.

"There's always that." agreed Hermione with an amused smile.

* * *

The plan was put into action during their next class with Lockhart. Since the pixie incident, the man hadn't brought any more creatures to the classroom. He was only reading them passages of his books and enacting the most dramatic parts. It was hilarious, well, unless you were Christopher. The poor boy was often dragged to the front of the class to help re-enact the scenes. So far he had been asked to be a Transylvanian villager who Lockhart had supposedly freed from a Babbling Curse, a yeti with a head-cold and a vampire who had only been able to eat lettuce since Lockhart had finished with him.

Jade was clutching her stomach, laughing hysterically as she watched her brother play the part of a werewolf. When her twin was forced to howl she doubled over. The rest of the class seemed mildly impressed by Christopher's howl. Jade had to admit it was pretty realistic. Truth be told, they had had a lot of training with Christopher's godfather being a werewolf.

"And then if you'll believe it," said Lockhart. "I pounced, like this, and _slammed_ him to the floor, thus, whith one hand, I managed to hold him down, with my other, I put my wand to his throat. I then screwed up my remaining strength and performed the immensely complex Homorphus Charm, he let out a piteous moan – go on, Christopher – higher than that – good – the fur vanished, the fangs shrank and he turned back into a man. Simple, yet effective. And another village will remember me forever as the hero who delivered them from the monthly terror of werewolf attacks."

By that point, Jade would have normally made an innocent remark about how the Homorphus Charm didn't cure Lycanthropy which meant that the attacks would have continued the following months. She might have added that he had to make his mind – either the charm was 'immensely complex' or it was 'simple'. However as her brother was about to ask the man for a favour she decided it was best not to ruin his mood.

The bell rang and Lockhart jumped to his feet. Christopher also got back into a standing position, rubbing his neck and grimacing.

"Homework: Compose a poem about my defeat of the Wagga Wagga Werewolf! Signed copies of Magical Me for the best one." announced Lockhart cheerfully.

The class retreated. Ron, Christopher, Hermione and Jade stayed behind. After a silent debate between Christopher and Hermione, the bushy haired girl stepped forward. She walked up to the teacher and handed him a note.

"Erm, Professor, I was wondering if you would be willing to give me permission to take that book from the Restricted section. It's for academic purposes, of course. I thought it could help me understand what you said in _Gadding with Ghouls_ about slow-acting venoms…"

"Ah! _Gadding with Ghouls_!" exclaimed Lockhart, taking the note with a broad smile. "Possibly my very favorite book, you enjoyed it?"

"Oh yes!" said Hermione eagerly. "So clever, the way you trapped the last one with the tea-strainer..."

Lockhart beamed at her, flashing his overly white teeth.

"Well, I'm sure no one will mind me giving permission to the best student of her year to expand her knowledge." he said pulling out an enormous peacock quill.

It was a good thing Lockhart was so absorbed in his signing; it gave time to Jade to wipe the revulsion from her face.

"Here you go." said Lockhart handing Hermione the note now sporting an enormous loopy signature.

Before, the man had time to make any comment on, say the Quidditch match on the next day, Jade dragged her friends out of the room.

"I can't believe it." said Ron once they were a good distance away. "He didn't even look at the title!"

"That's because he's a complete idiot, Ron." said Jade flatly. "Just an egocentric git, who has probably never seen a werewolf or a vampire in his life, let alone defeat one."

"He is _not_ an egocentric git!" exclaimed Hermione as they hurried to the library.

Jade snorted.

"Just because you have a crush on him…" she said.

Hermione blushed and started to protest vehemently. Christopher was chuckling softly behind them and Ron looked absolutely disgusted. Jade shot the red haired boy a knowing glance which he ignored completely.

They entered the library and automatically dropped their voices. Hermione went to show her note to Madam Pince. The older witch accompanied her inside the Restricted. A few minutes later, Hermione was back carrying a heavy book. She tucked the book in her bag and they left this time heading towards Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. To Jade's horror Hermione had insisted that the bathroom was the best place for their secret brewing. After all, nobody ever went there. None of the raven haired girl's protest was of any use against Hermione and Ron and Christopher had quickly agreed to it as well. One against three, Jade was at a great disadvantage. Not finding any way other than telling them about her little problem, she finally agreed to have the meeting in the bathroom.

Therefore, a few minutes later, they were safely hidden in the Myrtle's bathroom. Jade didn't feel safe in the least, she felt like she had just stepped into a torture room, but the others seemed content and comfortable so she could only do her best to hide her growing paler. Hermione took out the book and opened it. Jade wasn't paying attention as she was trying not to look at anything that might reflect her image. So she was concentrating deeply on staring at her lap.

"This is the most complicated potion I've ever seen." said Hermione. "Lacewing flies, leeches, fluxweed and knotgrass." she murmured looking at the list of ingredients. "Well, they're easy enough; they're in the student store-cupboard, we can help ourselves. Oooh, look, powdered horn of a Bicorn – don't know where we're going to find that…Shredded skin of Boomslang will be tricky as well…and of course, a bit of whoever we want to change into."

"Hermione, do you realise how much we're going to have to steal. We're definitely not going to find shredded skin of Boomslang in the student cupboard. Do you expect us to break into Snape's private storage? Because somehow that doesn't seem like a good idea to me." said Christopher frowning.

Hermione slammed the book, her cheeks turning an angry pink.

"Well, _I_ don't want to break rules but it appears to me that letting Muggle-borns be harmed is worse than brewing a difficult potion!"

"Hermione has a point." agreed Jade finally looking up. "I you guys want to chicken out, then go ahead. But I'll be brewing the potion and going in the Slytherin Common Room anyway."

"I'm not chickening out!" cried Ron in outrage.

Christopher hurriedly shook his head to his twin's relief.

"How long is going to take anyway, Hermione?" asked Jade trying not to flinch as she caught sight of her Avada Kedavra green eyes in a mirror.

"Well, as the fluxweed has to be picked at full moon and the lacewings have got to be stewed for twenty one days, I would say a month if we can get all the ingredients…" said the bushy haired girl.

"A month! Malfoy would have time to get rid of half the Muggle-borns in the school by then!" exclaimed Ron but as Hermione's eyes narrowed dangerously he hurriedly added "But it's the best plan we've got, so full steam ahead I say!"

Jade smiled at her friend's antics however it promptly turned into a grimace when she saw her face reflected yet again.

"Sorry guys, I just remembered something I have to do. I'll see you later." Jade got up quickly and practically fled the room.

The others exchanged surprised looks.

"Was it just me or was that strange?" asked Hermione.

The boys just shrugged and they went back to their plotting.

* * *

At eleven o'clock the next morning, Jade went down to the Quidditch followed by the whole school, for the first match of the season, Slytherin vs Gryffindor. Jade joined her team in the changing rooms after letting her friends wish her good luck. Wood stood in front of all of them and started his pep talk.

"They've got better brooms than we have no use denying that." he said with his usual Scottish accent. "But we've got better people on our brooms. We've trained harder than they have; we've been flying in all weathers…" Jade recalled the painful memory of flying through a storm a few weeks before. "and we're going to make them damn the day they let that little slime Malfoy buy his way into the team."

Wood turned to the raven haired Seeker.

"It will be up to you, Jade, to show them what a true Seeker is, that one has to have more than a rich father. Get to that Snitch or die trying, Jade, because we've got to win today, we've got to."

"So no pressure, Jade." said Fred winking.

The raven haired girl winked back.

"Don't worry I'll fight to my last breath." she told Wood.

As they walked onto the pitch, they were greeted by the roars of the crowd. They had a lot of support since most Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs supported Gryffindor. However, the Slytherins in the crowd were making about as much noise as the three other houses and distinct boos and hisses reached Jade's ears. Then, it was time for Wood and Flint to indulge in their usual hand-crushing duel before the match started. Once they had once more proved that a hand was stronger than it looked they joined their team in the air and the match started. Jade soared in the air and looked around, hoping to catch the golden gleem of the Snitch.

"Alright there Golden Girl?" yelled Malfoy, who was flying nearby.

"I'm fine, thanks for your concern Madboy." she yelled back shooting him a sickeningly sweet smile.

At that moment, a Bludger shot towards her and she barely had enough time to move away. The black ball ruffled her hair as it passed.

"Close one there, Jade." called George who shot after the Bludger.

The red haired boy gave the Bludger a powerful whack towards Adrian Pucey, however, halfway towards the Chaser, the Bludger turned around and aimed for Jade again. They continued this dangerous dance for a while. Jade avoided the Bludger which seemed to be attracted to her like some kind of Muggle missile and Fred or George would whack it away, only for it to come back moments later. Jade was vaguely aware that the Slytherins were in the lead. She was between Fred and George who were frantically trying to protect her from the Bludger when heavy rain drops started falling.

"The Bludger's been tampered with." said Fred panting slightly.

"We need time out." groaned George as he frantically signalled t Wood.

It seemed to work as Madam Hooch's whistle blew and all the players dived to the ground. Jade was grateful when she reached the safety of the changing rooms.

"What's going on?" asked Wood. "We're being flattened by Slytherin. Fred, George, where were you when that Bludger stopped Angelina from scoring?"

"We were twenty feet above her, trying to stop the other Bludger from murdering Jade." snapped George. "It was tampered with. It just won't leave Jade alone. It hasn't gone for anyone else all match. The Slytherins must have done something to it."

Wood looked confused.

"But the Bludgers were locked into Madam Hooch's office since our last practice, and there was nothing wrong with them then." he said anxiously.

"Listen boys," said Jade urgently as Madam Hooch walked towards them. "With you two flying so close, the only way I'm going to catch the Snitch is if it starts aiming for me too. Go back to the rest of the team and let me deal with the rogue one." she told the twins.

"That's practically suicide!" said George frowning.

"We can't let you alone with that thing trying to take your head off." said Fred.

"But we need to win this match, honestly I'll be fine." pleaded Jade.

"This is all your fault." said Fred angrily turning to Wood. "'Catch the Snitch or die trying', what a stupid thing to say!"

"Are you ready to resume playing?" asked Madam Hooch.

Oliver gave a quick glance at Jade's determined expression and nodded.

"Yes." he told the teacher before turning back to his teammates. "All right, Fred, George, you heard Jade. Let her deal with the Bludger and go back to the rest of the team."

The twins looked very unconvinced and angrily flew away as the rest of the team took back their position. Jade took a deep breath and mounted her broom. She kicked the ground hard and rose in the air. Immediately, the rogue Bludger shot towards her. Jade wished herself good luck and started her mad dance with the Bludger.


	7. Chapter 7

**Thank you for all the reviews, I'm glad that there are more and more reviewers. I hope that you will enjoy this chapter. I'm not sure if I'll be able to write a lot in the newt days as I will be in an exam week but I'll do my best.**

* * *

Jade raced around the pitch, the Bludger zooming after her. She made sure not to get too close to the stands or to her teammates. She suddenly dived towards the ground and the Bludger shot passed her, missing her by a few inches. Jade stopped to catch her breath waiting for the black stone-like ball to come back. She took the opportunity to look around the pitch for the Snitch. Her quick scan didn't reveal anything and Malfoy was still flying amongst the dark clouds, looking for the Snitch. The Bludger was coming back at an incredible speed and Jade had to take off again. She was thankful the rain had stopped. At least, she could see where she was going and even look for the Snitch properly, even though it was difficult with a Bludger trying to knock you off your broom. She took a sharp angle which sent the Bludger off track for a minute or so. Suddenly she caught sight of a golden gleam on the other side of the pitch. She sped forward, the Bludger still behind her. Unfortunately, Malfoy had seen it too and was also speeding towards it. The two Seekers flew side by side, frantically trying to catch the Snitch. Both of their hands were outstretched. Malfoy was hit by the second Bludger, a second before Jade was hit by the rogue one. They both fell to the ground. Malfoy was caught by Marcus Flint but Jade hit the ground. The impact sent pain in every part of her body and an ominous crack came from her right wrist. She dizzily lifted her arm so that she could see said wrist. Her hand was hanging limply from her arm. A smile crept on her face when she saw the fluttering Golden Snitch in her hand.

Her team landed around her and she was soon in the middle of a crowd of overjoyed Gryffindors. Fred and George helped her sit up and Wood congratulated her endlessly. Jade smiled stupidly as she looked at the Snitch in her hand. She didn't listen to the twins telling her she needed to go to the Hospital Wing, nor did she listen to Wood's enthusiastic remarks. What finally caught her attention was Christopher running towards her.

"Jade, are you okay?" asked her twin as he crouched by her side.

"I'm fine." said Jade.

Christopher looked at her wrist sceptically. At that moment, Lockhart walked through the crowd towards them.

"A beautiful game, Miss Potter, congratulations." said the man with a shining smile.

"Not you." she groaned.

"Don't know what she's saying." said Lockhart loudly at the crowd of Gryffindors. "Don't worry, Miss Potter, I'll fix that arm for you."

"No, I'd rather keep it like that!" she exclaimed in a high pitched voice.

"Now, now, it's a rather simple charm…"

"No, I'll go to the Hospital Wing." insisted Jade.

Lockhart didn't listen to her and grabbed her arm. She flinched from the pain and slapped the man's hand which was holding her own.

"That hurts damn it!" she practically yelled at him.

Lockhart looked stunned but quickly regained his composure and flashed a smile. Then he pointed his wand towards her wrist. Jade felt a very uncomfortable sensation spread to her arm. She closed her eyes not wanting to see what had just happened. The pain was indeed gone, but if she was to trust the many gasps around her, her wrist hadn't simply mended itself. She took a deep breath and looked down her right side. Her arm resembled a flesh-colored rubber glove. She tried to move it but nothing happen.

"This is a nightmare." she said before passing out.

* * *

She woke up in the night, gasping as she felt the incredible pain in her arm. She took a few minutes to recall what had happen. Then, she remembered how Lockhart had removed the bones in her arm instead of mending her wrist. Suddenly, she realized she was being hit on the head and that was what had woken her.

"Stop!" she snapped angrily sitting up with difficulty.

She looked around quickly. As she had suspected she was in the Hospital Wing. Her eyes found the one who had disturbed her sleep and the green orbs narrowed dangerously.

"Dobby." she said.

The elf was standing on her bed, his beady black eyes fixed on her.

"Why didn't Miss stop Christopher Potter from going back?" asked the elf. "Even though Dobby blocked the passage at the station, Christopher Potter still went to Hogwarts…"

"That was you!" exclaimed Jade. "Do you realize you nearly killed my brother that day!"

The elf looked sheepish and pulled on his ears. Jade was pretty sure it hurt but at the moment she couldn't bring herself to feel pity for the little creature.

"Dobby, was it you who jinxed the Bludger?" she asked her voice ominously calm.

The elf nodded, then squealed, jumped from the bed and banged his head on the floor.

"Stop!" commanded the girl. "Tell me why you did it."

The elf stopped banging his head and looked at her trembling.

"Dobby wanted to scare Christopher Potter, miss. So he jinxed the Bludger to scare his sister, miss. Because Christopher Potter listens to his sister, miss."

The house-elf burst into tears. Jade watched the pitiful thing blow his nose in the pillowcase he wore.

She sighed and she forced herself to calm down.

"Why are wearing that thing anyway?" she enquired looking sceptically at the pillowcase.

"'Tis the mark of enslavement, miss. Dobby can only be freed if Dobby's master presents him with clothes, miss." explained the elf. "Christopher Potter must go _home_, miss. He must."

Jade watched the elf in exasperation.

"I don't suppose you're going to tell me why he must go home?" she said.

"If only Miss knew! Now that the Chamber of Secrets has been open _again_…" the elf froze.

Jade jumped.

"So there is a Chamber of Secrets and wait, did you just say it had been opened before?" she asked.

The elf whimpered and disappeared with a loud crack. Jade swore and dropped back in her pillows. She had been so close to get more information on the Chamber. She was busy cursing the world for everything that had happened when hurried footsteps came from the corridor. A second later, the door burst open and Dumbledore came in carrying one end of what looked like a statue. Professor McGonagall followed carrying the feet. Jade lay quite still, pretending to be asleep. The two teachers placed the statue carefully on a bed opposite Jade's and professor McGonagall hurried off, probably to look for Madam Pomfrey. The two women arrived and the nurse gasped as she saw the statue.

"Oh dear! What happened?" she said in a hushed voice.

"We found him on the stairs, we think he snuck into the kitchens and he was on his way back to Gryffindor." answered Dumbledore.

Jade tensed. She raised her head very slowly so as to not attract attention. A ray of moonlight lit the face of the statue. Jade froze. It was Colin Creevey. The boy was holding his camera to his eye. Or rather what seemed to have been his camera…He was frozen in the movement much like Mrs Norris had been.

"Melted?" said Madam Pomfrey looking at the camera. "What does this mean Albus?"

"It means that the Chamber of Secrets has been opened once again." replied the headmaster warily.

There was a collective gasps from Madam Pomfrey and Professor McGonagall.

"But…Albus, who…?" said Professor McGonagall.

"The question is not _who_, but _how_." said Dumbledore.

The headmaster's words echoed in Jade's head long after the three teachers had retreated. Not who but how. She needed to find out who had opened it the last time and what had happened, and then she would be able to get a clue as to how it was opened this time. She fell asleep as her mind started forming plans, the pain in her arm completely forgotten.

* * *

When Jade left the Hospital Wing the next day, she had to roam the corridors in the hope of finding her friends. Once she had searched the Common Room, the library, the seventh, sixth and all the way down to the third floor without success, a horrible thought crept in her mind. No, there was no reason they would be there, and yet…She walked warily to the second floor and stopped in front of Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. She opened the door with trembling hands and stepped in the horrifying bathroom. She heard whispers from one of the cubicles.

"It's me." she said.

Three heads popped out of the cubicle.

"Jade, how are you feeling?" asked Hermione.

"Loads better, thanks." said the raven haired trying to smile.

"Brilliant catch yesterday." said Ron clapping her back.

"Thanks." she said.

Christopher was looking at her with a worried frown. She managed to smile at him in wha she hoped was a reassuring way.

"There was another victim, last night." she announced.

Her friends froze.

"Who was it?" asked Hermione in a very small voice.

"Colin Creevey."

There was a long silence during which all of them looked uneasy. The sound of a boiling liquid rose from the cubicle. Hermione immediately went back in.

"What's that?" asked Jade bewildered.

"We decided to get started on the Polyjuice Potion." said Christopher.

Jade poked her head inside the cubicle. Sure enough, Hermione was bending over a cauldron there.

"We thought, it was the best place to do it." added Ron.

Jade felt her soul being crushed. This was horrible. She would have to come back there often. It would be torture, it was _already_ torture.

"Oh, right." she said suddenly. "Dobby came to see me last night."

Hermione and Ron looked confused but Christopher frowned clearly remembering the house-elf.

"What did he want?" he said.

"Apparently he was the one who blocked the passage at King's Cross, he told me you shouldn't be here." she said. "But the most important is, he said the Chamber had been opened before."

Hermione gasped.

"It's been opened _before_!?" she exclaimed.

Jade nodded.

"This settles it, then." said Ron. "Lucius Malfoy must have opened it when he was at school and he's told dear old Draco how to do it. Wish Dobby would have told us what kind of monster it is though. I want to know how come nobody's noticed it sneaking in the school."

"Maybe, it can make itself invisible." suggested Hermione. "I've read about Chameleon Ghouls…"

"_I_ noticed it. I heard its voice." cut in Jade.

The others looked at her uncomfortably. The raven haired girl realized they weren't sure if they should believe her. With an indignant huff she left the bathroom.

* * *

In the days that followed, the atmosphere in Hogwarts was morose. Most Gryffindors were saddened by Colin's attack and many were trying to find ways to protect themselves. Jade hadn't talked to Christopher, Hermione and Ron again. She had been hurt that they didn't believe her. However, she had a suspicion that she had reacted so violently because she didn't want to go back in the blasted bathroom. When Professor McGonagall had brought a paper to sign for those who would be staying for Christmas, Jade had signed it. She had heard Malfoy was staying which was suspicious in itself but she was also sure the others would be staying as well. Knowing that Christopher could be in danger was enough for her to stay. Dobby's warning was still fresh in her memory and she spent her days worrying about what could happen.

Jade also knew that her three friends were continuing the Polyjuice potion. She had confirmation of this during a Potions class. She caught sight of Christopher discreetly sending one of Fred's Filibuster fireworks in Goyle's cauldron. The cauldron exploded causing an unimaginable mess. Snape was furious and he glared threateningly at Christopher. Jade had to fight to keep a straight face when she saw Malfoy's nose become the size of a small melon.

A week after the incident in Potions, as Jade walked through the Entrance Hall she noticed a gathering in front of the notice board. She made her way through the crowd of students. A note was announcing the beginning of a duelling club.

"The first meeting is tonight." she heard Hermione say behind her.

"What, you reckon Slytherin's monster can duel?" asked Ron, though Jade could tell he was interested.

"Could be useful." she heard Christopher say before the three voices became distant.

Jade glanced at the note. She might as well go. It would be easy for anyone to get hurt in such a club and she wanted to keep an eye on Christopher, Hermione and Ron. She had a hunch that bloody Loanshark was behind it and whenever that wannabe hero was involved, Catastrophe wasn't far. So that night, after dinner, she went back to the Great Hall where the duelling club was to take place. There were many students there and as Jade had predicted Lockhart was there. What she hadn't predicted was that Snape would be there as well. The greasy haired man was standing behind Lockhart looking absolutely bored.

"Ahem, Professor Dumbledore has granted me permission to start a duelling club." announced Lockhart. "To train you all in case you find yourself in need of defending yourself like I have done on countless occasions." Jade sighed; this was going to be a long evening. "Let me introduce my assistant Professor Snape." said Lockhart flashing a wide smile. "He tells me he knows a tiny little bit about duelling himself and has sportingly agreed to assist me with a little demonstration before we start. Now I don't want you to worry, you will still have your Potions master once I'm finished with him."

Jade laughed loudly.

"You should be more worried about what will happen to you once he's finished with you." she called causing a good half of the students to laugh.

She noticed Snape's lip curling and wondered if that was a sign of amusement. Lockhart cleared his throat, apparently embarrassed and turned to face Snape. The two professors raised their wands like swords.

"As you can see," he said. "We are holding our wands in the accepted combative position. On the count of three, we will cast our first spells. Neither of us will be aiming to kill of course."

Looking at Snape baring his teeth, Jade thought that the man actually looked like he was, in fact, planning to kill Lockhart. She couldn't blame him really, if she had been in his place she would have felt like casting the killing curse.

"One, two, three." counted Lockhart.

Both of them waved their wands. Snape yelled 'Expelliarmus' and a scarlet light sent Lockhart flying across the room. Jade watched gleefully as the Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher smashed in a wall and slid to the floor. The only thing that stopped her from cheering was seeing Malfoy doing just that.

"Well, there you have it." said Lockhart as he got to his feet and walked back to the centre of the room. "That was a Disarming Spell, as you could see. It was a very good idea to show them that Professor Snape, though, if you don't mind me saying it was very obvious what you were about to do. If I had wanted to stop you it would have been very easy. Obviously, I thought it would be good to let the students see…"

Lockhart must have noticed the murderous look on Snape because he stopped and turned to face the students.

"Time to pair up everyone." he announced.

Jade saw Christopher pairing up with Ron. Her gaze met with Hermione's. The bushy haired girl gave her an uncertain smile and started walking towards her. Snape must have noticed the motion because he walked over to them.

"Time to split up the Dream Team, I think." he said, his eyes glinting evilly. "Potter you pair up with Mister Malfoy, Granger can go with Bulstrode."

Jade glared daggers at the Potions master as he retreated. She then went to stand opposite Malfoy. The blond had a smirk plastered on his face and looked highly amused by his Head of house's decision. Jade wasn't amused in the least, the only positive aspect was that at least she wouldn't have to worry about hurting her partner. If he was hurt it would be beneficial to the school; she would be doing a good deed.

"Face your partners and bow." called Lockhart.

Malfoy and Jade barely bowed and never broke eye contact.

"Wands at the ready!" said Lockhart. "When I count to three cast your charms to disarm your opponent. _Only _to disarm, we don't want any accidents. One..Two…Three."

Jade waved her wand but the Slytherin had started on two and his spell hit the girl so hard she nearly fell. Jade felt like she had just been hit on the head by something a little too heavy. She wasted no time in retaliating.

"_Rictusempra_." she shouted.

The jet of silver light hit Malfoy in the stomach and he doubled up, wheezing.

"I said to disarm only." shouted Lockhart.

Jade ignored him, watching with interest as Malfoy laughed hysterically. Suddenly, Malfoy managed to gasp some air and pointed his wand at her before shouting '_Tarantellegra_'. Jade's legs started tap dancing against her will.

Lockhart was still shouting for them to stop. It was Snape who took action.

"_Finite Incatatem_." he said and both spells were removed.

Jade suddenly noticed that her duel with Malfoy wasn't the only one which had gone wrong. Hermione was being held in head-lock by Millicent Bulstrode, Dean was lying on the floor in the middle of green mist, Ron was helping an ashen-faced Christopher up apologizing for whatever his broken wand had done.

"I'd better start by teaching you how to stop unfriendly spells." said Lockhart at last. "Let's have a volunteer pair."

He looked around him in order to choose the 'volunteer' pair. Snape walked forward.

"How about Miss Potter and Mister Malfoy?" said the Potions master with a sneer.

Jade gritted her teeth. She knew that talking back would only make things worse.

"Excellent idea." said Lockhart motioning them forward.

Jade walked up to the platform in the middle of the room. Malfoy placed himself opposite her. Lockhart came to show her the spell. He made some complicating movements with his wand and finished the move by dropping it.

"Oops! Looks like my wand is a bit over-excited." he said picking it up and turning towards Malfoy.

Snape was whispering something to the blond with an evil smirk. Upon hearing his Head of House, Malfo smirked as well. This made Jade very uneasy.

"Professor, could you show me that Blocking spell again?" she asked Lockhart.

"Just do what I did." said the professor not looking at her.

"What? Drop my wand?" she replied causing a few students to snigger.

The professor ignored the remark and started counting.

"One…Two…Three!"


	8. Chapter 8

**Definitely the last chapter of the week. Not my best, but I didn't like that part of the story (especially the end of the chapter). So forgive me, okay ^^**

* * *

As soon as Lockhart had finished counting, Malfoy raised his wand and bellowed '_Serpensortia_'. The tip of his wand exploded and a large black snake fell to the floor. There were gasps in the crowds. Jade stared at the snake warily. Snape took a step forward, looking smug.

"Don't move Potter, I'll get rid of it." said the Potions master.

"Allow me!" cried Lockhart raising his wand.

The only thing Jade could think of was: should have known that he wouldn't miss an opportunity to show off. Lockhart waved his wand, however instead of vanishing the snake he sent it flying a few meters away. The snake fell back to the floor and hissed angrily. It slithered towards the group of students that were nearest and launched at Justin Finch-Fletchley. On an impulse, Jade marched towards the snake.

"Leave him!" she yelled.

Immediately after, she felt extremely foolish. What she hadn't expected was for the snake to docilely slump back on the floor. Somehow, Jade knew that it wouldn't attack anyone now. She turned to look at Justin smiling reassuringly. She froze when she saw the scared and angry look on his face. Her first thought was that the boy was scared and angry at the snake, but she soon had to admit that Justin's eyes were fixed on _her _and not the snake. She glanced around her, only to discover similar expressions on everybody else.

"What do you think you're playing at?" yelled the boy.

Fury rose inside the raven haired girl.

"Let me think! Saving your life?" she said sarcastically. "Why did it look like I was telling it to attack you? Generally when you say 'leave him' it doesn't mean rip his throat out!"

"How the hell am I supposed to know what you're saying, you damn Parseltongue." yelled the boy.

Jade gaped.

"What are you talking about?" she asked slowly, her eyes narrowing.

Justin spat at her and stormed out without bothering to give her an answer. The raven haired girl watched him depart with a frown. Snape vanished the spell lazily, all the while staring at her calculatingly. She felt an insistent tug on her robes and turned around.

"Come on, let's go." said Christopher dragging her out.

Hermione and Ron quickly followed. The students made way as they passed, looking warily at Jade. The raven haired girl could follow her twin completely bewildered. Once they were out of the Great Hall she decided it was time she got some answers.

"What was Justin talking about?" she asked.

"You're a Parseltongue Jay." said Christopher turning to her. "You speak the snakes' language."

"Like I said what are you talking about? I spoke English back there." she insisted.

"No, Jade." interrupted Hermione. "It wasn't English."

The raven haired girl didn't say anything else. She let her friends take her to her dormitory and went to bed early. She was expecting to lay awake in bed for hours, brooding about how her life refused to be normal or simple; however she fell asleep rather quickly. The nightmares that night were different from usual. Christopher was walking in a corridor with his back turned to her. Suddenly a large black snake appeared and launched at her twin. The boy turned around, fear clearly etched on his face. Then, it wasn't a snake attacking Christopher anymore. It was _her_. Her green eyes shining ominously, she raised her wand. A bright green light erupted from the tip of the wand. It hit Christopher and the boy became ghastly pale, his face forever frozen in an expression of terror as he slumped to the floor. The nightmarish Jade turned around and her green eyes filled everything.

Jade woke up sweating and breathing heavily. It took her a moment to realize it had only been a dream. She dizzily got up and went in the bathroom. She stripped of her pajamas and got into the shower. When she got out, the other girls were up. Hermione greeted her as usual but Lavender and Parvati stared at her warily.

Jade ignored them and went on with her life. When Herbology was cancelled due to a blizzard, the raven haired girl went to the library. She insisted on wanting to go alone even though Hermione tried to convince that it would be best if she was accompanied.

In the library, she spotted a group of Hufflepuffs. She looked at them trying to see if Justin was amongst them. She walked closer and noticed they weren't working. They had their heads close and were whispering animatedly. Curiosity made Jade go even closer.

"So I told Justin he had better hide in the dormitory. After all, if Potter's marked him as her next victim…" she heard Ernie McMillan say. "I expected something like that to happen ever since Justin told Potter he was Muggle born."

Jade's stomach clenched and she started to feel slightly sick.

"But Ernie, do you really think _it_ is Potter?" asked a girl.

"Hannah, the girl's a Parselmouth." said the stout boy. "Everybody knows that it's the mark of a dark wizard. There hasn't been one who could talk to snakes who hasn't turned bad. Slytherin himself was a Serpent-tongue." murmurs broke out at that. "Remember what was written on the wall?" continued Ernie. "_Ennemies of the heir beware_. I bet Potter had some sort of argument with Filch, remember how he insisted that she was the one who did it. And Colin Creevey was annoying her because he was constantly after her brother and next thing we know he's attacked. No doubt she'll try to get at Justin next. Her brother should look out too, he could be in danger too…"

Jade now felt like she could vomit at any moment. Not bothering to be silent, she hurried out knocking a chair over as she went. The Hufflepuffs noticed her but she didn't care. She left the library and ran without looking at where she was going. She felt sick. She couldn't deny what they had said and the worse was that she had actually dreamt of hurting her brother! What if she actually did it?

She slowed down as she turned in another corridor and continued walking at random. Her face was ashen and her eyes were unfocused. She tripped on something lying on the floor and fell forward. She got up and turned around. Justin Fintch-Fletchley's body was lying on the floor. He was stiff as Mrs Norris and Colin were. Next to Justin was Nearly Headless Nick. The green orbs widened as Jade realized the ghost was frozen as well. She stared at the two bodies wide-eyed and not able to move. She didn't even think about how much trouble she could get into if she was found with the body, especially after the accusations she had witnessed. She simply stood there, as if she had been the one frozen.

"Ah caught in the act!" said a voice in her back.

As she didn't react she was forcefully turned around and found herself facing Ernie McMillan. She looked at the boy without seeing not even registering what was happening. Suddenly, the boy's fist connected with her jaw and she fell to the floor. Blood dripped from her mouth, down her chin. Surprised by the coppery taste in her mouth she raised her hand to it and looked as blood stained her fingers.

"ATTACK! ATTACK!"

Jade was even more stunned at the loud yelling voice overhead. She blinked and caught sight of Peeves who was floating near the Hufflepuffs. Students and teachers flooded the corridor and gathered around them. The poltergeist looked absolutely delighted, he even started singing.

"_Oh Potter, you rotter, oh what have you done?_

_You're killing off students, you think it's good fun…_"

"Peeves that's enough!" yelled McGonagall.

Jade got to her feet with difficulty. Professor McGonagall gave one look at the blood dripping from the raven haired girl's mouth and turned angrily to the group of Hufflepuffs.

"Who did this?" she asked angrily.

"I did." said Ernie lifting his chin proudly. "She deserved it after what she did to Justin."

"WHAT WERE YOU THINKING HITTING ANOTHER STUDENT?" bellowed the deputy headmistress.

Ernie didn't look that proud anymore as Professor McGonagall took fifty points from Hufflepuff and gave him detention. Jade barely noticed all that. She couldn't think properly, the only thing on her mind was her nightmare. She had been upset at Ernie's word because she couldn't deny them. She had dreamt about it just before.

"Miss Potter, follow me." said Professor McGonagall.

In a daze, Jade followed the professor up to the seventh floor. They stopped in front of an ugly gargoyle.

"Sherbet Lemon." said the Transfiguration teacher.

This must have been the password for the statue slid aside to reveal a spiralling staircase. Professor McGonagall led Jade all the way up the stairs into the headmaster's office. Jade was left to wait for Dumbledore alone in the office. She looked around warily. There were a lot of bizarre objects around the room. On a bookcase, Jade spotted the Sorting Hat. She nearly picked it up to ask it if she had really meant to be in Slytherin but thought she already knew the answer. Also, she didn't think that hearing it out loud would do anything to improve her mood. A melodious trill made her realize she wasn't the only living being in the room. She turned to look at a beautiful red bird standing on its perch and looking at her curiously.

Jade was just thinking that the last thing she needed was for Dumbledore's bird to die while she was alone in the room when the bird caught fire. She stared in shock as it was reduced to ashes. As fate would have it, Dumbledore chose this moment to enter the room.

"Your bird…" said Jade pointing at the pile of ashes. "I-it caught fire."

To the girl's surprise the headmaster laughed.

"It was about time too, he has been looking awful for days." said the old wizard. "Fawkes is a phoenix. Once in a while he burst into flames and is reborn from his ashes." he explained upon seeing her confused expression.

Jade looked back to the perch. A tiny red bird was shaking itself of the ashes he had just emerged from. Then Dumbledore went to sit at his chair, behind the desk.

"I do not think you did all those things, Jade. But I want to talk to you." he said.

Jade felt relief wash over her.

"Is there anything you want to talk to me about, Jade?" asked the headmaster kindly.

Jade stared at the electric blue eyes. She thought about the nightmares and her Avada Kedavra green eyes. She thought about Malfoy shouting 'You'll be next Mudbloods', about the Polyjuice Potion simmering in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. She thought about the snake and her dark ability. She thought about her possible parentage to Salazar Slytherin. She thought about Ernie's accusations and Justin's body. She thought of the fear she had seen in both Justin and her brother's face.

"No, sir. There isn't anything." she said calmly.

* * *

In the days that followed the whole school was talking about the attack and Jade's being the Heir of Slytherin. All the students feared her, wondering what kind of fearsome creature she was controlling. Jade might have had a nervous breakdown if Fred and George hadn't taken it upon themselves to turn the whole matter into a huge joke. They took great delight in walking in front of her calling 'Make way for the Heir of Slytherin' in a pompous manner. This wasn't to Percy's liking though.

"It is _not_ a laughing matter!" he said to his brothers.

"Make way Percy!" said Fred. "Jade's in a hurry."

"Yeah, she's going to the Chamber to have tea with her fanged friend." said George.

They also enjoyed calling out to her loudly, asking who she was planning to attack next. They would then, just as loudly, start submitting ideas of people she would attack. It would often end with Jade bursting into hysterical laughter.

The raven haired couldn't help but notice that whenever Malfoy witnessed the twins' antics he looked deeply disturbed. She confided in her friends in the matter.

"He just desperately wants to say it's him, that's all." said Ron. "You know how he hates anyone beating him and he doesn't like you getting the credit for all of his dirty work."

"Somehow, I don't think that's what it is…" said Jade.

Ron just shrugged.

"The Polyjuice Potion is nearly ready anyway, we'll be getting the truth out of him soon." announced Hermione with a satisfied smile.

* * *

Soon it was Christmas break and only Hermione, Jade, Christopher, the Weasleys, Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle stayed behind. Crabbe and Goyle were staying behind because Malfoy was and the Weaseys had decided to stay at Hogwarts rather that visit Bill in Egypt. On Christmas morning, Jade and Hermione opened their presents before Hermione announced she was going to check on the Potion. Jade told her she was going to send a letter to her parents and managed to avoid the bathroom of Hell. When Hermione came back announcing delightedly that the Polyjuice was ready, they both went to wake up the boys. Once Ron and Christopher were up the girls told them about the Potion. They decided they would act after the Christmas feast.

The stage one of the operation started right after the feast. Hermione had prepared two chocolate cakes laced with Sleeping Draught which she gave to the boys telling them to find a way to give them to Crabbe and Goyle so that they could take some hair of them. Ron and Christopher managed to bait the two Slytherins with the cakes and hid them in a cupboard. They collected the hair and joined the girls in Myrtle's bathroom. Hermione gave them a glass of Polyjuice each. They dropped the hair in the Potion and drank it. Jade and Hermione stepped out while they transformed.

It was rather disturbing to come back and face Crabbe and Goyle. The boys had changed into Slytherin robes and with the last instructions from Hermione they set off towards the dungeons. Jade and Hermione decided they might as well go back to the Common Room while they waited for the boys. They had sixty minutes ahead of them before the transformation wore off. Hermione started to read as soon as they had sat on the sofas. Jade dozed off after a few minutes of watching the fire.

At first she dreamt of flying. She wasn't sure whether she was flying on a broom or if she was some kind of bird, but it felt good. She turned and dived and just enjoyed the sensation. Then, the dream changed. It was a snake and then a room. There was a baby crying not far from her. There was a green blinding light everywhere…

"Jade! Jade!"

The raven haired girl was woken up by Hermione shaking her. Jade looked at the bushy haired girl in bewilderment.

"W-what?" she asked.

"You were screaming." said Hermione regaining her seat.

The bushy haired girl had a worried look on her face but there was also a determination that Jade had never seen before.

"Oh, sorry. I had a nightmare."

"They never did stop did they?" asked Hermione sternly.

The raven haired girl tensed. She knew what her friend was on about but she felt the urge to deny it.

"What are you talking about?" said Jade not quite meeting her friend's eye.

"The nightmares from last year. Don't lie to me Jade."

The raven haired girl gazed at her lap. She was afraid to look at the other girl's face and discover that she knew much more than Jade wanted her too. But she also knew that there was no use lying anymore. At this point it was useless. Hermione was intelligent enough to know that something was on. Even if Jade lied convincingly enough, the bushy haired girl would keep an eye on her and she would soon realize that Jade was putting Silencing charms on her bed every night and that she was still having nightmares regularly.

"No, they never stopped." she muttered.

She glanced up at Hermione. The girl's face had softened a bit.

"What are they about?" asked Hermione.

"I-I can't tell you that!" said Jade quickly.

Hermione looked a bit hurt. Jade immediately felt a pang of guilt. But she couldn't tell her. She couldn't. Hermione was her best friend. She couldn't imagine herself without the bushy haired girl by her side. What if Hermione decided she was dangerous and that she didn't want to be Jade's friend anymore. Yet, the guilt of keeping a secret from Hermione was unbearable.

"I mean, I'm not ready to tell anyone yet." she explained hurriedly.

The bushy haired girl frowned but seemed to accept the explanation. She went back to her book, the frown not leaving her face. Jade sighed and leaned back in her chair. She didn't dare fall asleep again in case she had another nightmare.

Thankfully, the boys returned soon afterwards. The quartet went to the boys' dormitory where Christopher and Ron proceeded to explain what had happened with Malfoy.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chef's Special :**** Excellent analysis concerning the Potters! I'm glad you understood it the way I tried to write it (does this make sense? I know it does to me…^^'). Actually, at first I wasn't going to make Christopher arrogant, but then it kind of happened…No, in fact, I thought about it a lot and decided it would be a bit weird if he didn't have a bit of arrogance in him. I mean, you can't not be when you've been famous all your life!**

**animelove98nogfm:**** Can I call you animelove in the future? I don't use my brain very often and when I have to it's a bit difficult, and my poor mental abilities get a bit confused by your name ^^'. I'm sorry.**

**A part from that, thanks a lot for your lovely reviews and welcome in the Top 5 reviewers! (we're still missing the fifth…)**

**Ally of Darkness:**** The slap must have hurt a lot, actually it hurt me to write it…But it was necessary because I imagine Ernie McMillan to be a guy who wouldn't have a problem using violence if he thought his friends were in danger.**

* * *

Since the boys had investigated Malfoy, they had found no clues on the attacker. The other students had come back from Christmas holidays and the school was filled with nasty rumours about Jade. The raven haired girl didn't really mind, rather she was made not to mind. She suspected her friends had decided to never leave her alone because wherever she went either Ron, Hermione or Christopher went with her. Thanks to that, she had managed not to let the rude comments affect her and had yet to hex anyone into oblivion.

She was walking in the second floor corridors, accompanied by her faithful friends when Filch's bellowing voice rang in the corridor. Jade frowned. They were approaching the place where Mrs Norris had been found. Could there have been another attack?

"Shall we go see?" asked Christopher quietly by her side.

She nodded and led her group towards the voice. Thankfully, Filch's voice grew fainter and fainter, showing that he was leaving. When the quartet arrived, they understood immediately what Filch had been angry about. The floor was flooded. Cursing the heavens who were definitely plotting against her, Jade made her way in Myrtle's bathroom.

"Are you going to throw things at me, too?" wailed the ghost as soon as they entered.

Jade flinched as she caught a glimpse of her reflection.

"Why would we throw things at you?" she asked, focusing on the ghost.

"How should I know?" whined the girl. "Here I am minding my own business, when people think it's funny to throw things at me."

The ghost rose in the air.

"Who threw it at you?" asked Christopher gently.

"I don't know." said the ghost.

"But it doesn't really matter anyway. Because you wouldn't feel it would you?" asked Ron. "It would just go right through you."

Jade glared at the red haired. The guy had probably never heard of tact in his life.

"Oh, so it's alright to throw things at Myrtle just because she can't feel them?" wailed the ghost.

"Of course it's not alright." said Jade. "You sure you don't know who it was?"

"No. I was sitting in the U-bend, thinking about death when they through the book at me." said the ghost sniffing. "See it's there. I didn't touch it."

Jade gave Ron a warning glance just in time to stop him from saying that even if she had wanted to she wouldn't have been able to touch it. The raven haired girl walked forward, her gaze resiolutely fixed on the book lying in the water. She picked it up. It was an old book with a worn-out leather cover.

"Be careful!" said Ron.

Jade looked at him positively exasperated.

"Ron, somehow I don't think the book is capable of freezing people." she said matter-of-factly.

The boy just mumbled something about being surprised under his breath. Jade turned back to Myrtle.

"If I find the person who threw that book at you, I promise to give him a talking to." she said.

The ghost gave a sad, kind of grateful, smile and disappeared in a nearby cubicle. Jade then nonchalantly hurried out of the mirroring hell, book still in hand. Once outside, the raven haired girl examined the book more carefully. The faded year told her that it was fifty years old and the barely visible title taught her it was a diary. She opened the book. On the first page was written a name: T.M. Riddle.

"Wait a second!" exclaimed Hermione who had appeared by her side. "I know that name! T.M. Riddle got an award for special services to the school about fifty years ago."

Jade didn't bother asking how the bushy haired girl knew that kind of thing. She turned the pages of the diary. However, all pages were completely blank. The raven haired girl frowned.

"That's weird. He never wrote anything in it." she said.

"Why would anyone want to flush it in the toilets anyway?" asked Ron.

Jade didn't reply. Instead, she turned the book around. On the back cover was the address of a newsagents' on Vauxhall Road, London.

"He must have been a Muggle-born to have bought it in Vauxhall Road." she mused.

"Well, it's not of much use. Maybe we should leave it there." said Christopher.

Ron nodded approvingly. Jade however, pocketed the book without taking any notice of the disapproving looks, her friends were giving her.

* * *

It was later that evening, when they were back in the Common Room, that Jade had a sudden realisation. She had been wondering how Riddle had gotten an award when she remembered something the boys had said.

"Chris, the Chamber of Secrets was opened fifty years ago, right?" she asked her brother.

"That's what Malfoy said. Why?" said Christopher, not quite understanding what she was trying to say.

"The diary is fifty years old." said Hermione, her face brightening.

"Exactly. You don't think Riddle's award had anything to do with it?" asked Jade.

Ron shrugged.

"He could have received it for anything." he said. "He could have saved a teacher from the giant squid or maybe he murdered Myrtle, that would have definitely been a great help."

"Myrtle, of course!" exclaimed Jade.

This time Hermione was also bewildered.

"She was alive fifty years ago, right? In fact, she died around that time. Maybe she knows something." she explained excitedly.

"Maybe she doesn't." said Ron flatly.

Annoyance washed over Jade.

"Whatever, let's just carry on with no clues at all and hope the culprit will jump in our arms!"

She grabbed her books and stormed into the dormitory.

* * *

Saint Valentine came soon after. Jade had always thought that having a day for couples was pretty pointless, but with the events that year she swore that she would never acknowledge its existence again. Everything was Lockhart's fault, but wasn't it always?

The man was convinced that he had scared the culprit and that the attacks would stop. Jade had heard him say so to Professor McGonagall. Lockhart had thus decided that they needed something to lift everyone's spirit. So, he had organized a special event for Valentine's Day.

In the morning, when Jade and her friends had gone to breakfast, they had found the Great Hall decorated for the occasion. The large pink flowers stuck on the walls and the heart shaped confetti falling from the pale blue ceiling had nearly made Jade pass out. After a meal, during which Ron looked disgusted, Jade felt sick, Christopher looked alarmed and Hermione giggled the way Parvati and Lavender usually did, they escaped to the classrooms. Jade couldn't remember a day when she had been more thankful to leave the Great Hall. However, the worst was still to come. Lockhart had employed a dozen of dwarves to deliver the Valentine's cards. The dwarves had been dressed in pink satin dress robes and had golden wings sticking at their backs. They were also carrying harps.

"These are my friendly cupids! They will help you deliver you Valentine's cards." had announced Lockhart. "On that note, I would like to thank the forty-six people who sent me cards!"

This had caused both Jade and Ron to look suspiciously at the giggling Hermione.

"Tell me you weren't one of the forty-six." had said Ron.

The bushy haired girl hadn't replied, suddenly finding a great interest in her sausages.

Thankfully, Jade didn't receive many cards so she wasn't exposed to the dwarves for too long. She certainly had more than Hermione and Ron (they had none) but also less than Christopher. In fact, she had only one…from the Weasley twins. Fred and George had found it funny to create absolutely atrocious cards and to send them to everyone they knew. They had also given the dwarves a text to recite. Listening to the 'cupids' who were trying to recite the gibberish was hilarious.

Christopher wasn't as lucky he received a few cards from love-sick girls as well as a musical message. The latter was a complete disaster. The dwarf found Christopher in a corridor between classes; needless to say that his friends, as well as a quarter of the student population were there. The dwarf insisted that he should recite it there and then. To Christopher's absolute horror, the dwarf started singing.

'_His eyes are as brown as fresh mud,_

_His hair is as dark as a blackboard._

_I wish he was mine, he's really divine,_

_The hero who conquered the Dark Lord.'_

Christopher tried valiantly to laugh with the others, while Jade patted his back sympathetically. Whoever had composed the poem had done a terrible job of it. Christopher's hair wasn't even 'as dark as a blackboard', it was chocolate brown. As her twin released himself from the dwarf, who had jumped on him, in order to immobilize the boy, Jade caught sight of Draco Malfoy wearing a nasty smirk. She gave him a warning look. The blond boy caught her gaze and to her astonishment turned away without commenting. Feeling that they just escaped a catastrophe, Jade dragged her friends to charm.

She was unhappy to see that, during the commotion with the dwarf, her pot of ink had broken and had flooded her bag. All the books were covered in dark red ink. However, Riddle's diary was spotless, even though he had been bathing in ink along with the other books.

* * *

That night Jade retreated to bed early, wanting to examine Riddle's diary. First, she examined every page but didn't find any trace of ink on them. She then took out another bottle of ink and a quill from her bedside table. She dipped the quill in ink and dropped a blot on the first page. The dark red ink shone for a second and seemed to be absorbed by the page.

Excitement rising in her, Jade dipped her quill in the ink again and wrote: 'My name is Jade Potter'. The words shone and sunk in the page. Then a moment later, words that Jade hadn't written appeared in black ink.

'_Hello Jade Potter, I'm Tom Riddle. How did you come across my diary?'_

Jade frowned, considering whether she should reply or not. In the end she decided she might as well.

'Someone tried to flush it down a toilet.'

As soon as she started writing her answer Tom's words disappeared. After her own words faded, Tom's answer wrote itself.

'_Lucky that I kept my memories in more lasting ways than ink. But I always knew there would be those who would not want this diary read.'_

The words intrigued the raven haired girl.

'What do you mean?' she wrote.

'_I mean that this diary contains memories of terrible things. Things that were covered up and that happened at the School of Witchcraft and Wizardry._'

Jade frowned. Could he possibly be talking about the Chamber of Secrets?

'That is where I am now. Do you know anything about the Chamber of Secrets?' she wrote quickly.

'_Of course, I know of it. In my times they told us it was just a legend but it was a lie. In my fifth year, the Chamber was opened and the monster attacked several students, finally killing one. I caught the person who'd opened the Chamber and he was expelled. But the headmaster, Professor Dippet, ashamed that such things had happened at Hogwarts, forbade from telling the truth. A story was given out that the girl had died in a freak accident. They gave me a nice, shining trophy for my trouble and warned me to keep my mouth shut. But I knew it could happen again. The monster lived on and the one who opened the Chamber wasn't imprisoned.'_

The writing became messier as the message appeared as if Tom was hurrying to tell everything he knew.

'It's happening again now. There have been three attacks and no one knows who it was yet. Who was it last time?'

'_I can show you if you'd like.'_ wrote back Riddle. '_I can show you the memory of the day I caught him._'

Jade hesitated. She wasn't sure she could trust Tom. In fact, she wasn't sure you could trust self-writing diaries in general. There was also the fact that she didn't know how the diary could show her a memory. When she glanced back at the page, new words had formed.

'_Let me show you._'

Jade took her decision.

'All right.' she wrote.

As soon as she finished writing, the pages started turning as if caught in a strong wind. It stopped halfway through June. Jade immediately noticed that the little square with the day had turned into a kind of miniature television screen. She bent down to press her eye against it and before she knew it, the screen was widening and she falling through it. For a brief moment she felt like Alice in Wonderland falling through the hole. However, there was a great difference between Alice and her and that was that Jade hit the floor rather quickly. She got up and looked around. She recognized the office instantly. It was Dumbledore's office. The man sitting behind the desk wasn't Dumbledore, though. Also Fawkes' perch wasn't anywhere to be seen.

"Er, Excuse me, I didn't mean to intrude." said Jade trying to find a suitable excuse for being there.

The man didn't react and Jade frowned. Was she in some sort of Pensieve then? That would explain why the old wizard walked passed her without seeing her. Then, there a was a knock on the office door.

"Enter." called the man.

A young boy entered the room.

"Did you wish to see me Professor Dippet?" he asked uncertainly.

"Ah! Riddle, I have been reading the letter you sent me." said the older wizard.

"Oh." said the boy sitting down and gripping his hands very tightly.

"I cannot allow you to stay for summer vacations. Surely you want to go back home?" said the Headmaster.

"No." replied Riddle at once. "I'd much rather stay at Hogwarts than go back to that..to that…."

"You live in a Muggle orphanage during the holidays, don't you?" asked Dippet curiously.

"Yes, sir."

"Are you a Muggle-born?"

"No, sir. Half-blood. Muggle father and witch mother." said the boy.

"And are both your parents…?"

"They are both dead, sir. At the orphanage, they told me that my mother had just lived long enough to name me: Tom after my father, Marvolo after my grandfather."

"The thing is, special arrangements could have been made for you…" said Dippet sighing sympathetically. "…but with all those attacks…"

Jade listened more attentively.

"My dear boy, you must see how foolish it would be to stay here; especially in light of the recent events. With the death of that poor girl….No, you will be safer in that Muggle orphanage. In fact, the ministry are looking into Hogwarts right now, they are very close from finding the source of these problems."

"So, if it all stopped…If the culprit was caught…" said Tom his eyes widening.

"Riddle, do you mean you know something about it?" said the Headmaster surprised.

"No, sir." said the young prefect quickly.

Jade frowned. She was pretty sure that 'no' was an equivalent of the one she had given Dumbledore.

"You may go, Riddle…" said the Headmaster sinking back into his chair.

The boy left the room without another word. Jade followed him down the stairs towards the dungeons. To her disappointment, he didn't lead her into any secret passage but into the dungeon where she had class with Snape. Riddle his there and waited. After about half an hour, Jade started to get bored and stopped expecting anything to happen. However, footsteps were heard from the corridor. Riddle swiftly tip-toed out of the room, following the footsteps. Jade followed Riddle into the dungeons. Then, they stopped. Jade heard the sound of a door creaking open and a voice talking in hoarse whispers.

"C'mon…Gotta get yeh outta here…c'mon now…in the box…"

There was something extremely familiar about that voice. Suddenly, Riddle jumped out of the shadows, Jade following him closely.

"Evening Rubeus." he said smoothly.

The other boy stood up and slammed the box shut.

"What yer doin' down here Tom?"

Riddle stepped closer.

"It's all over, I'm going to have to turn you in. I don't think you meant to kill anyone. You probably let it out for a walk…"

"It never killed no one!" bellowed the large boy.

"Come on Rubeus, the dead girl's parents will be here tomorrow. The least Hogwarts can do is to make sure that the thing that killed their daughter is slaughtered." said Riddle raising his wand.

"It wasn' him! He wouldn't! He never!" roared the large boy.

"Stand aside Rubeus." said Riddle and he shot a spell at the box.

Out of it came an enormous spider that scurried away. Jade let out a piercing scream that nobody heard. She wasn't normally afraid of spiders, but one that large could scare anyone. Riddle tried to stop it but wasn't quick enough.

"NOOOOOOOOOO!"

The large boy's deafening cry was the last thing Jade heard as darkness enveloped her. When she came to, she was sitting on her bed and Hermione was looking at her worriedly.

"Her-Hermione!" gasped Jade. "It was Hagrid! Hagrid opened the chamber of Secrets fifty years ago!"


	10. Chapter 10

**Ally of Darkness:**** Isn't it common knowledge that girls are always smarter than boys? Mouahaha! (truth is, I'm only saying that because I'm a girl ^^). Anyway, I won't answer any of your questions ^^ I don't to spoil the fun! Thanks anyway, I do love how you always compliment me on my chapters!**

**animelove :**** I'm not telling you that ^^ (because I don't know yet either!)**

**KGC112:**** Yes, that is a bit of a mystery…He probably had Aragog when it was just an egg which would have made it easier to bring in the school.**

**All my thanks to the readers and reviewers. And I'm really sorry but I had a massive Internet problem so I haven't been able to connect at all for the past few days, combined with a week of holidays in distant lands I have missed the net dearly.**

* * *

During the next few days, the quartet didn't have much time to think about Hagrid and the Chamber of Secrets. They talked about it of course, but between choosing their subjects for third year and Quidditch practice (for Jade), there wasn't much time to think about it. Jade had to deal with a frantic Hermione who was trying to decide which subjects she should choose.

"It could affect our whole future!" she had said.

Ron had sniggered and Jade had chosen to remain silent. The raven haired girl was also being harassed by Wood who insisted on having Quidditch practice at every single free time. Their next match was to be against Hufflepuff so Jade couldn't really see why he was so stressed, it would have been different if it had been Slytherin or Ravenclaw…However, once again, Jade chose to remain silent and to go with the flow. Being constantly occupied was a good distraction from her dark thoughts and she was tired at night that she didn't have time for nightmares.

This busy but comfortable routine was broken quite suddenly when Jade going back to her dorm one night, found Parvati and Lavender whispering to each other with very worried looks, in the corridor. Puzzled, Jade walked over to the two girls. It was Parvati who saw her first.

"Oh, Jade!" said the indian girl. "I really don't know who did this…"

Jade followed her roommate's gaze towards their room's door. She walked to the door frowning and entered the room. She froze in shock upon seeing the inside of the room. Her bed had been attacked savagely. The sheets had been pulled out and thrown on the floor, on the mattress lay the contents of her bedside table's drawer which had been abandoned on the floor. Her trunk had not been forgotten. Its contents had been thrown everywhere.

The raven haired girl walked over to her bed open mouthed. With apologetic glances, Lavender and Parvati helped her put the sheets back on her bed. She then proceeded to put everything back in their rightful place. Hermione had joined them and was examining Jade's robes.

"Someone has been looking for something." she said pointing to the turned out pockets. "Is anything missing?"

The raven haired girl didn't reply immediately, scanning her possessions. It was as she absent-mindedly threw Lockhart's book in her trunk that she noticed.

"Riddle's diary is gone." she said.

Hermione paled.

"But…but who would've…?"

Jade shrugged.

"It had to be a Gryffindor, nobody else knows the password." said Jade. "Also, it should have been a girl since boys can't come in the girls' dorm."

Once all her things were back in her trunk and drawer, Jade led Hermione downstairs so they could inform the boys of what had happened.

The next morning, Jade woke up to find a dazzling sunshine. She went to breakfast with her three friends and was immediately grabbed by Wood.

"Brilliant day for Quidditch!" exclaimed Wood enthusiastically as he continued loading the team's plates with scrambled eggs. "Come on Jade, you need a decent breakfast."

The raven haired girl had been examining the crowd of Gryffindors thinking about the new owner of Riddle's diary. As she left the Great Hall towards her room to collect her broom, she suddenly stopped.

"_Kill this time…Let me rip….Tear…_"

Jade shouted to her friends to wait for her.

"The voice, I heard it, didn't you?" she asked bewildered.

The others looked at her blankly. Suddenly, Hermione slapped her forehead causing the others to turn to her with worried frowns.

"I think I just understood something, I'm going to the library." announced the bushy haired girl before running off.

The other three stood in shock.

"_What_ does she understand?" asked Christopher.

"Probably more than we do." answered Jade distractedly.

"But why does she have to go to the library?" insisted Christopher.

"Because that's what Hermione does." said Ron patiently. "When in doubt go to the library."

The raven haired girl shook herself, remembering that the match would be starting soon and sprinted to her room. She grabbed her Nimbus 2000 and ran to the pitch where she met up with the rest of the team. She was mounting her broom when Professor McGonagall came running carrying a megaphone.

"This match has been cancelled." she announced.

Wood looked devastated and boos erupted from around the stands.

"All students are to go back to their Common Rooms." added Professor McGonagall.

Wood tried to protest but the older witch ignored him. She marched towards Jade, her lips pressed tight together.

"Potter, I think you should come with me." she said.

Jade felt her heart sink. She followed the teacher back to the castle. When Christopher and Ron ran towards them with worried frowns, the teacher didn't object.

"Yes, you two had better come as well." she said simply.

So the three students followed Professor McGonagall through the corridors. Christopher came to Jade's side and grabbed her hand. The raven haired girl offered a small smile to her twin and gave his hand a squeeze.

"This may be a bit of a shock." said Professor McGonagall gently as they approached the Hospital Wing. "There has been another attack…Another_ double_ attack."

The first Jade saw was Madam Pomfrey bending over a fifth year Ravenclaw girl. Then she saw a smaller girl on the next bed.

"Hermione!" she gasped.

The three students ran over to their friend's side. The bushy haired girl was frozen, her eyes open and glassy.

"They were found near the library." explained Professor McGonagall. "I don't suppose any of you can explain this…" she showed them a round circular mirror. "…we found it near them…"

Jade looked at the object with a blank look. When she realised it was a mirror she jerked back abandoning all pretence. The boys and the teacher looked at her in surprise.

"So-sorry, I have, er, a bit of a problem with mirrors." she explained hurriedly.

The raven haired girl forced herself to regain her composure as they were dismissed by the Transfiguration teacher. None of them said a word on the way back to Gryffindor Tower.

Soon after they had entered the Common Room, Professor McGonagall came in as well.

"Attention please!" she called. "In light of recent events, rules have been set. All students will return to their house's common room by 6 o'clock. No student is to leave the common room after that time. You will be escorted to each lesson by a teacher. No student is to use the bathroom unaccompanied by a teacher. All further Quidditch practices and matches will be postponed. There will be no more evening activities."

A heavy silence followed the announcement.

"I need hardly add that I have rarely been so distressed. It is likely that the school will be closed unless the culprit behind these attacks is caught. I would urge anyone who thinks they might know anything about them to come forward."

She left the common room somewhat awkwardly. The students stayed assembled.

"That's two Gryffindors down, not counting a Gryffindor ghost, a Hufflepuff and a Ravenclaw." said Lee Jordan. "Haven't any of the teachers noticed that the Slytherins are all safe? Isn't it _obvious_ all this stuff's coming from Slytherin? The _heir_ of Slytherin, the _monster_ of Slytherin…Why don't they just chuck all the Slytherins out?" he roared.

Jade was rather surprised that Percy Weasley did not say anything even though he was sitting just behind Lee Jordan.

"Percy's shaken." said George in her ear. "The girl who was attacked, Penelope Clearwater, she was a Prefect. I bet he thought Prefects wouldn't be attacked…"

Somehow, Jade doubted that it was because the girl was a Prefect. Percy was bright so he must've known that even Prefects could be attacked. There must be some reason why he was so upset about the incident though…The raven haired girl went to stand by Christopher and Ron.

"We need to go and talk to Hagrid." she said. "I don't believe he was the one who opened it this time but he must know where the Chamber is if he opened it fifty years ago."

"But McGonagall said we weren't supposed to leave the common room." whispered Ron.

"I think it's time to take out Dad's cloak." said Jade quietly turning to her brother.

Christoher nodded and they went towards the boys' dormitories. They grabbed the cloak in Christopher's trunk and covered themselves with it. It was difficult to pass in the common room without being found out as there were a lot of people assembled there. They managed it somehow and walked down the stairs. The journey wasn't pleasant. In all her wandering after hours, Jade had never seen the corridors this crowded. Prefects, teachers and even ghosts were wandering the corridors in pairs, looking out for anything out of the ordinary. They finally made it out of the castle and went to Hagrid's hut. They knocked and were greeted by the man holding a crossbow.

"It's us." said Christopher hurriedly, looking warily at the crossbow.

"Oh." said Hagrid lowering his crossbow. "What're you three doin' here?"

"What's that for?" asked Jade pointing at the weapon in the half-giant's hand.

"Nothin'…Nothin'." said Hagrid motioning them inside. "I've bin expectin'….doesn' matter…Sit down, I'll make tea…"

The three children sat at the small table. The man seemed very nervous. He nearly extinguished the fire by spilling the kettle's water on it and smashed the teapot on the table with his massive hand.

"Are you okay, Hagrid?" asked Jade. "Did you hear about Hermione?"

"Oh I heard all righ'." said Hagrid with sadness in his voice.

He had just handed them large bowls of boiling water (he had forgotten to add tea bags) when there was a loud knock on the door. Jade grabbed the boys' arms and threw the Invisibility Cloak over them. Checking that his young guests weren't visible anymore, Hagrid opened the front door.

"Good evening Hagrid." Dumbledore came in, looking deadly serious.

"Professor Dumbledore, Sir." said Hagrid lowering the crossbow he had been holding.

A short, portly man with grey hair and an anxious expression came in after the headmaster. His clothes were also rather strange. He had a pin-striped suit, a scarlet tie, a long black cloak and pointed purple boots.

"That's my Dad's boss!" whispered Ron. "Cornelius Fudge, the minister of magic!"

Jade remembered the name as she had heard it often at home. Her parents both worked for the Ministry, James was an auror and Lily worked in the Department of Mysteries. The both of them often complained about the way the ministry was run. Jade had indeed heard the name of Cornelius Fudge, however it had never been in a kind way.

The raven haired girl looked anxiously at Hagrid, who had started sweating profusely. The half-giant dropped into a chair upon seeing the minister.

"Bad business, Hagrid. Bad business." mumbled Fudge. "Had to come. Four attacks on Muggle-borns. Things've gone far enough. Ministry's got to act."

"I never…" said Hagrid imploringly, looking at Dumbledore. "You know I never Professor Dumbledore, Sir…"

"I want it understood, Cornelius, that Hagrid has my full confidence." said Dumbledore with a stern frown.

The minister of magic looked unsure and stared at his feet.

"Look, Albus," he said uncomfortably. "Hagrid's record's against him. Ministry's got to do something, the school governors have been in touch…"

"Yet again, Cornelius, I tell you that taking Hagrid away will not help in the slightest." said Dumbledore.

A fire had been lit in his blue eyes.

"Look at it from my point of view." said Fudge imploringly. "I'm under a lot of pressure. Got to be seen doing something. If it turns out it wasn't Hagrid, he'll be back and no more said. But I've got to take him. Got to. Wouldn't be doing my duty…."

'Duty my ass!' thought Jade glaring angrily at the minister of magic. The guy only wanted to keep a good public image by doing something, even though he knew it wouldn't change anything! That bastard!

"Take me?" said Hagrid with a quiver in his voice. "Take me where?"

The fear and dread in the man's voice made Jade even angrier at the minister.

"For a short stretch only." said Fudge. "Not a punishment, Hagrid, more a precaution. If someone else is caught, you'll be let out with a full apology…."

"Not Azkaban?" croaked Hagrid and Jade had to clench her teeth not to yell at that poor excuse for a minister.

Before Fudge could gather enough courage to answer, another loud rap came from the door. Dumbledore answered the door and in strode none other than Lucius Malfoy. Just seeing the blond man was enough to make Jade go berserk. Both Christopher and Ron grabbed her arms in fear that she would attack the man.

"Dreadful things Dumbledore." said Malfoy. "The governors think it is time for you to step aside." he continued lazily, taking out a long roll of parchment. "This is an Order of Suspension, you'll find all twelve signatures on it. I'm afraid we feel you're losing your touch."

"Oh now see here, Lucius…" started Fudge.

The small man was cut off by wave of Dumbledore's hand.

"If the governors feel that I should step aside, then I will of course do so." said the headmaster. "However, you will find that I am not truly gone from Hogwarts as long as there are those who remain loyal to me. You should also know that help will always come to Hogwarts when she is in need of it."

Jade could have sworn that at that moment, Dumbledore's eyes had flicked towards the corner where the three Gryffindors stood.

"Admirable sentiments." commented Lucius drily before leaving the cabin.

Fudge fiddled with his cloak, darting glances at Hagrid, probably waiting for the man to go ahead of him. However the half-giant didn't move. Instead, he took a deep breath and looked from Dumbledore to the corner where Jade and the boys were.

"If anyone wanted to find out some _stuff_, all they'd have ter do would be ter follow the spiders." he said. "That'd lead all right! That's all I'm sayin'."

He then marched out of the cabin, soon followed by the stunned minister and the freshly dismissed headmaster. The three children stood unmoving in the same spot for a few minutes after the older wizards had left.

"No Dumbledore. They might as well close the school!" said Ron at last. "With him gone we'll all be as good as dead."

Jade pulled the Invisibility Cloak, revealing the two boys by her side.

"Well, would you really expect anything good from Lucius Malfoy?" she asked. "I don't think he cares that all the Muggleborns might die. He might even be happy about the whole thing."

"What do we do?" asked Ron anxiously.

"We follow the spiders." answered the raven haired girl matter-of-factly.

"You-you mean, we're really going to do it?" asked Ron in shocked horror.

"Do you have a better idea? Because I don't. Not to mention it was supposedly Hagrid who opened the Chamber fifty years ago, meaning he's probably the one person who'll know where to find clues." said Jade frowning at the red haired boy.

The raven haired girl turned away and made her way to the door. She cautiously opened the door and peered outside.

"Looks like they left, we should go as well." she said.

Ron still ashen faced joined her by the door. Christopher however stayed behind looking thoughtful.

"What is it Chris?" asked Jade looking questioningly at her twin.

The boy looked at her in surprise, blushing faintly.

"Oh, er…I was just wondering, do you think anyone's going to be feeding Fang while Hagrid's away?" he asked.

The raven haired girl raised an eyebrow and turned to look at the large dog sitting by the fire. Fang met her gaze and barked once in her direction. Jade sighed. She would bet anything that they would have to take care of the dog….


	11. Chapter 11

**Such lucky readers! Since I didn't have much else to do this past week I wrote a lot!**

**Call me crazy 'cause I am:**** Thanks a lot for your review, I'm glad you liked it! Congratulations for being my fifth reviewer with a name!**

**Talking of which, I feel that we'll get along well ^^**

* * *

"Ron, you are being childish." said Jade at the lump in of sheets in front of her.

She was currently trying to get the red haired boy out of bed so that they could search the castle for spiders. She had left her eyes open as she had gone to visit Hermione in the Hospital Wing in the morning, but with the rules stating that you couldn't go out alone it was immensely difficult. But Jade's determination had doubled when Madam Pomfrey had refused her access to the Hospital Wing, saying that no visits were allowed since the culprit might try to come and finish the victims off.

"I don't care! I don't want to come." whined Ron from under the covers.

Jade sighed. She wouldn't let Ron have his way! She needed to act. Being constantly followed by ten people was tiring. In fact, the only one who seemed to enjoy it was Malfoy. The prat had been boasting non-stop about how his father had managed to get rid of Dumbledore, while strutting around the school like he owned the place. Just thinking about it annoyed her!

The raven haired girl angrily kicked the lump on the bed.

"Ouch!" cried Ron shuffling away from her. "What was that for?" he asked, his head popping out of the covers.

"Er, oops?" offered Jade with an apologetic smile.

Looking at the boy's blaze look she couldn't help laughing. She was joined by Christopher who had been watching the scene from his own bed. Ron started pouting and retreated under the covers once more.

"Come on Ron!" said jade once she had regained her composure. "We need to find the culprit. Don't you want to help Hermione?"

"I do." said the boy. "But there has to be another way than following spiders!"

"But as it is, it's the only clue we have." said jade patiently. "Now get up, or I'll transfigure your covers into spiders!"

The threat had an immediate effect. Ron jumped from his bed and went as far from it as he could. Jade smiled evilly and dragged him out of the room.

"Alright, let's go!" she announced, motioning to her brother to follow.

"Jay, don't we have class right now?" asked Christopher.

The raven haired girl froze.

"Really?" she asked turning to her twin.

"Yes! That's right!" exclaimed Ron not even bothering to hide his relief. "We've got Herbology."

Snape chose that moment to appear like a giant bat in the common room.

"I shall be taking you to your Herbology class." he announced curtly.

Ron gleefully followed the Potions Master, while Christopher tried to convince his sister that strangling Snape wasn't a good idea. The group of second years left the room and walked down the stairs, towards the greenhouses. Halfway down, the met up with the Hufflepuffs who were led by Professor Sprout. The short woman took in charge the two groups and Snape left towards the dungeons. As soon as Snape had left, Jade and lost her killing intent and walked the rest of the way in a state of silent depression.

As they were now missing two students, Justin and Hermione, the class was rather subdued. Ron, Christopher and Jade formed a group as Professor Sprout got them to prune the Abyssinian Shrivelfigs. As Jade went to put withered stalks onto the compost heap she found herself facing Ernie McMillan. The memory of the heavy punch she had received from the boy still fresh in her memory, she immediately went into defensive mode. The Hufflepuff brave the girl's killer glare and took a deep breath.

"I wanted to apologize for my behaviour. I realize now that you would never attack Hermione Granger and I want to say sorry for all the stuff I said and for punching you too. We're all in the same boat now…so, well…" the boy looked uncomfortable and glanced at his feet.

"No problem!" said the raven haired girl with a bright smile.

The boy relaxed and allowed himself to smile. Jade's expression changed drastically, and an evil smile settled on her face.

"Is that what you thought I would say?" the boy gulped. "Unfortunately for you, that punch really hurt and I'm not very forgiving." she gave a little giggle, giving her the appearance of a demon.

All of sudden, her right foot shot at the boy's left leg and hit hard. Ernie gasped in pain and his eyes turned teary.

"That was revenge. Now we can call it quits." said Jade extending her hand, her evil mask leaving her face.

Trying not to let his pain become obvious, Ernie took her hand and shook it. Then he went back to his friends still grimacing. Jade went back to her own table with a satisfied smile. Ron and Christopher who had followed the exchange from afar refrained from commenting. The red haired boy looked vaguely scared while Christopher was looking at Ernie apologetically as he knew how much pain Jade could inflict on someone, having himself been slapped earlier in the year.

The raven started pruning her plant again, all the while imagining she was cutting Snape's greasy hair.

"Jay, your plant will become bald." remarked Christopher as he watched his sister cutting the twigs savagely.

Jade was about to say that it was, in fact, her intention when she spotted something that made her hit Ron's arm enthusiastically with her pruning shears.

"What?" asked Ron irritably.

The raven haired girl pointed to the floor a few meters away. Two spiders were scurrying across the Earth.

"Oh yeah." said Ron blankly, though Jade noticed an attempt to look pleased. "But we can't follow them now." this time he managed to look pleased.

Jade watched the spiders running away.

"Looks like they're going in the Forbidden Forest." said Christopher voicing his twin's thoughts.

Jade nodded thoughtfully and Ron looked absolutely horrified.

"We'll do it tonight." said Jade and Ron looked ready to faint.

The raven haired girl looked pointedly at the empty space that should have been filled by Hermione. Ron followed her gaze and his friend's absence seemed to stiffen his resolve and he nodded.

* * *

That night, Christopher went to retrieve the Cloak right after dinner. Then he, Ron and Jade waited in the common room for all the other students to leave. At eleven o'clock, only the Weasley twins and Ginny were left. However, Fred and George were relentlessly challenging Ron and Christopher to games of Exploding Snaps. Jade and Ginny were watching the boys play from the sofas around the fireplace. The younger girl looked very subdued and stayed silent as she sat in Hermione's usual seat. It was well past midnight when Ginny and the twins finally went to bed. Ron, Christopher and Jade waited until the sound of two dorm rooms' doors closing came to their ears before leaving the common room under the cover of the Invisibility Cloak.

As it had been the night they had sneaked down to Hagrid's, the castle was bustling with activity even at this late hour. However, they somehow managed to leave the castle walls safely and went to the hut. They had decided earlier that they would bring Fang with them as he was used to the forest.

They entered the wooden cabin and the dog immediately jumped on them barking happily. Afraid that his barks would wake the whole castle, they fed him treacle fudge, successfully gluing his teeth together.

"Come on Fang." said Jade, lighting her wand with a _Lumos_. "We're going for a walk."

The three students left the cabin and made their way towards the Forbidden Forest with Fang running joyfully ahead of them. Christopher and Jade examined the floor carefully, trying to find spiders. Ron imitated them reluctantly.

At last, Jade spotted two large spiders scurrying on the ground. The three Gryffindors started following them, Ron doing his best to keep his distance. Soon they were deep in the forest and Jade's wand was the only source of light. Christopher lit his as well and the continued to follow the spiders. At some point their 'guides' left the forest path. Jade remembered Hagrid advising not to leave the forest path. But, she thought with determination, Hagrid was miles away probably sitting in one of Azkaban's cell.

"We've made it this far." she said aloud and the boys nodded silently.

They started walking behind the spiders again. It was more difficult as there were roots and low-slung branches. More than once, they had to stop and crouch to look for the spiders. They walked for what seemed like half an hour. Then the ground sloped down, though the trees were as thick as ever. Suddenly, Fang barked loudly, making the three children jump out of their skin.

"What?" said Ron loudly.

"There's something moving over there." said Jade with a quiver in her voice. "Listen, it sounds like something big."

They remained silent as they listened intently. A little distance away, they could hear branches cracking as something made a path in the forest.

"Oh no!" whined Ron.

"Shhh!" hissed Jade. "It'll hear you!"

"Like it hasn't heard Fang already." said Ron in an unnaturally high voice.

They waited terrified, the darkness seeming more oppressive with each minute passing.

"Do you think it's gone?" whispered Christopher after a while.

"Dunno." whispered back Ron.

At that moment, a sudden light came from their right. It was so bright in the darkness that their hands shot up to shield their eyes. Fang yelped and tried to run away but got entangled in thorns and yelped even louder.

"Christopher, Jade, It's our car." exclaimed Ron with immense relief.

"What?" said Jade uncomprehending the boy's words.

Christopher seemed to understand however.

"It's the Weasleys' car. You know, the one we arrived in." he explained a little sheepishly.

The twins followed Ron towards the source of the light. A moment later, they emerged in a clearing. There, was Mr Weasley's car, standing, empty, in the middle of a circle of tree, its headlamps ablaze. As Ron walked towards it, it advanced, like a giant turquoise dog greeting its owner.

"It's been here all this time." said the red haired boy delightedly. "Look at it. The forest's turned it wild…"

It was indeed in a wild state. Its wings were scratched and smeared with mud. It appeared that it had taken to trundling around the forest on its own. Fang didn't seem keen on it, he stayed well-hidden behind Jade's legs, looking at the car suspiciously.

"We've lost the trail." said Jade frowning as she examined the ground devoid of spiders.

The boys didn't answer. She raised her head, surprised by the lack of reaction. As her eyes caught sight of a large figure she understood why. Her waist was grabbed by a large hairy leg and she let out a little scream of terror. Christopher and Ron were grabbed as well. Spiders, a lot larger than the ones before, took them away at high speed. A few minutes later, they arrived in a vast hollow which had been cleared of trees. The moonlight streamed into the hollow, revealing the worst scene that jade had ever set her eyes upon. Even Myrtle's bathroom wasn't quite as bad as the colony of giant, eight-eyed, eight-legged, hairy and black spiders that was streaming in the hollow. The gigantic specimen that was carrying Jade brought him towards a misty domed web in the centre of the hollow. The spider released Jade and she fell heavily on the floor, soon joined by Ron, Christopher and Fang who was cowering silently on the spot. The other spiders assembled around them, clicking their pincers excitedly. Ron looked exactly the way Jade felt. His mouth was hanging open in a silent scream, which reminded the raven haired girl of Munch's work, and his eyes were open wide and staring blankly at the masses of spiders.

Suddenly, Jade realised that the spider that had dropped her was saying something. She could only discern the words with difficulty as the spider clicked its pincers at every word it said.

"Aragog!" it called. "Aragog!"

From the middle of the domed web, a spider the size of a small elephant appeared. It's black body was greyish on some parts and each of his eyes was a milky white. The blind spider advanced slowly.

"What is it?" it asked.

"Men." clicked the spider which had caught Jade.

"Is it Hagrid?" asked Aragog moving closer.

"Strangers." answered the other one.

"Kill them." said Aragog fretfully. "I was sleeping…"

"We're friends of Hagrid's!" cried Jade, her heart pounding loudly.

Aragog paused.

"Hagrid has never sent other men to our hollow." it said slowly.

"Hagrid's in trouble." said Jade quickly. "He has been taken to Azkaban."

"Why?" asked the aged spider and Jade thought she had heard concern behind the clicking pincers. "And why has he sent you?"

"They think, up at the school, that Hagrid has released…something to attack the students."

Aragog clicked its pincers angrily.

"But that was years ago." said Aragog. "Years and years ago. I remember it well. That's why they made him leave the school. They believed that I was the monster that dwells in what they call the Chamber of Secrets. They thought that Hagrid had opened the Chamber and set me free."

"And…And you didn't come from the Chamber?" asked Jade fearfully.

"I!" clicked the old spider angrily. "I was not born in the castle. I come from a distant land. A traveller gave me to Hagrid when I was just an egg. Hagrid was just a boy but he cared for me, hidden in a cupboard in the castle, feeding me on scraps from the table. Hagrid is my good friend and a good man. When I was discovered and blamed for the death of a girl, he protected me. I have lived here, in the Forbidden Forest ever since, where Hagrid still visits me. He even found me a wife, Mosag, and you see how our family has grown, all through Hagrid's goodness."

Jade summoned every ounce of her Gryffindor courage.

"So-so you never attacked anyone?" she asked.

"Never!" croaked the old spider. "It would have been my instinct but by respect for Hagrid, I never harmed a human. The body of the girl was discovered in a bathroom and I never left the cupboard in which I grew up. Our kind like the dark and the quiet…"

"Then…Do you know what attacked the girl?" asked Jade. "Because whatever it is, is back and is attacking students again…"

Jade was interrupted by a loud outbreak of clicking and rustling of many long legs.

"The thing that lives in the castle, is an ancient being that we spiders fear above all else." said Aragog. "I remember how I pleaded with Hagrid to let me go when I sensed the beast moving in the castle."

"What is it?" pressed Jade.

"We do not speak of it!" said Aragog fiercely. "We do not name it! I never even told Hagrid of the name of that dreaded creature."

Jade didn't dare insist with all the spiders pressing so close. Aragog seemed tired of talking and was retreating in the web.

"Thank you." said Jade her mouth dry. "We'll just go then…"

"Go?" said Aragog slowly. "I think not…"

"What?" said Jade her eyes widening in fear.

"My sons and daughters do not harm Hagrid at my demand but I cannot deny them fresh meat when it walks so willingly into our dwelling. Goodbye friends of Hagrid."

Jade hurriedly took out her wand as she spun around to face the wall of spiders. But as she looked at mass of arachnids she knew that they wouldn't make it out of there alive. As she stood ready to fight until her last breath, blinding light filled the hollow and Mr Weasley's car came thundering towards them. The turquoise car screeched into a halt in front of the children and its doors flew open. Jade dived into the front seat.

"Get Fang." she called to the two boys.

Ron seized the boarhound and he and Christopher jumped into the car. The doors slammed shut and they departed at a frightening speed. They sped up the slope, out of the hollow and were soon crashing into the forest.

Jade breathed a sigh of relief and turned to Ron who was still very pale.

"Are you okay?" she asked as they speeded into paths that the car obviously knew very well.

The red haired boy nodded silently.

A few minutes later, they came to a sudden halt. They had arrived to the edge of the forest. Jade got out of the car shakily. Fang shot after her and ran towards the cabin. Ron and Christopher got out as well. Jade gave the car a grateful pat as it reversed back into the forest and disappeared amongst the trees.

"Follow the spiders." said Ron weakly as they walked back up to the cabin to retrieve the Cloak. "I'll never forgive Hagrid, we could've gotten killed."

"He probably thought Aragog wouldn't harm us." said Christopher.

"That's the problem isn't it?" grumbled Jade. "He always thinks monsters aren't as bad as they look!"

"And look where it has gotten him!" added Ron. "A cell in Azkaban!" he was shivering uncontrollably. "What was the point of sending us in there? What have we found out? I'd like to know!"

"That Hagrid never opened the Chamber of Secrets." said Jade. "He was innocent."

Ron snorted derisively. Apparently raising a giant spider wasn't his idea of innocence.

The three students reached the castle and they quickly covered themselves with the cloak. The castle was much quieter now and it wasn't long until they were back in the safety of the common room.

"Hey, did Aragog say that the girl was found in a bathroom?" asked Jade slowly, suddenly remembering the spider's words, an idea forming into her mind.

"Yeah." said Christopher, a foot already on the stairs leading to the dorms. "What about it?"

"What if she was still there? What if she had never left?" she asked excitedly.

The two boys looked at her bewildered for a few minutes. Then understanding showed on Ron's expression.

"You don't mean…Moaning Myrtle?"


	12. Chapter 12

**KGC112:**** We must be destined to get along! Spiders are evil aren't they? They're horrible aren't they? They're the worst thing on Earth aren't they? In fact they should all just die and disappear because dead spiders are just as horrible as living spiders! I'm so happy to have met a comrade!**

**(If you weren't convinced that something was wrong with me, here's your proof ^^)**

**Thank you as always to all my other reviewers and readers!**

* * *

"Imagine! All these times we were in that bathroom and Myrtle was just three toilets away…All the times we could have asked her." Ron said for the hundredth time that morning.

Jade couldn't blame him. Sneaking after the spiders had been hard enough but managing to go to the girls' toilets near the scene of the attack was near impossible.

The raven haired girl sighed as they entered the Transfiguration classroom. She had absolutely no idea how they were going to manage it. She sat behind Christopher and Ron still deep in thoughts.

"Next week, we will be holding the exams." said Professor McGonagall when all the students were seated.

Jade immediately forgot all about Myrtle.

"What?" said Dean voicing everyone's inner thoughts. "We're still getting exams?"

"The whole point of leaving the school open is to give you an education." said Professor McGonagall sternly. "For that purpose we will be holding exams as we normally would."

There were many groans and soon the class was drowned in a studious atmosphere.

Three days before the start of the examinations, Professor McGonagall announced that the Mandrakes were ready and would be used to revive the students who had been attacked. Later that day, the Gryffindor were led back to their dormitories by none other than Lockhart.

"I'm sure the first words that will come out of the revived students will be '_It was Hagrid_'. There's really no need to fret anymore." said the man with a bright smile.

"I agree, Sir." said Jade.

Christopher and Ron looked at her in surprise. The raven haired girl continued offering her best smile to Lockhart. The Defence teacher was smiling at her as well.

"Thank you, Miss Potter." he said in a flattered voice. "I mean, we teachers have quite enough to do without having to accompany students to class and standing guard all night."

"That's right." said Christopher catching on. "In fact, we only have one more corridor to go so why don't you leave us here?"

The man looked at him calculatingly.

"You know Weasley," he said slowly. "I think I will."

He plastered a shiny smile on his face before hurrying away. As the group of Gryffindors walked to their common room, Jade, Christopher and Ron sneaked off. They walked quickly back to the staircase and went back down. Unfortunately, halfway down they met Professor McGonagall.

"What are you doing here?" asked the woman sternly.

"We-we were…" stammered Ron.

"We were going to the Hospital Wing to visit Hermione." said Jade. "We thought we would sneak off to see her so that we could tell her that the Mandrakes were ready, and that…well, you know, that everything would be alright…" she trailed off.

"I see." said the Transfiguration teacher with an unexpected kindness. "Of course it is hardest for the friends of those who have been...Of course you may go and visit her Potter."

As they walked away the three students could hardly believe that they had just avoided detention. Jade felt a pang of guilt when she heard Professor McGonagall blow her nose behind them.

Since they had already been given permission, they decided to go and visit Hermione in the Hospital Wing. Madam Pomfrey was reluctant to let them in but couldn't argue as the deputy Headmistress had already said they could. She let them in mumbling about how it was useless to talk to petrified people. Jade ignored the nurse and approached Hermione's bed.

The bushy haired girl still had that same look of horror frozen on her face. It was disturbing to see that not even a strand of hair had changed position since they had first seen her in this statue-like state.

Jade clenched her teeth angrily. Whoever had done that to Hermione was going to pay! She took her friends hand and squeezed it gently in her own.

"We'll definitely find the one who did that, Hermione." she murmured.

As she delicately removed her hand from Hermione's, Jade felt something pocking one of her fingers. She carefully turned the frozen girl's hand around so as to examine it. She immediately noticed the bit of paper sticking out of Hermione's clenched fist. She carefully extracted the paper from the other girl's hand under the boys surprised looks. It was a rumpled bit of parchment which looked like it had been folded originally.

"Alright time to go, now!" said Madam Pomfrey, coming bustling in.

Jade quickly hid the parchment from view by rumpling it in her hand. She didn't want the message to be confiscated when it was the only clue they had to save Hermione as well as Hagrid.

"Go back to your dormitories now." ordered the nurse ushering them out.

She closed the Hospital door behind them and the three students were left alone in the silent corridors.

"What is it? What does it say?" whispered Ron excitedly trying to see the parchment in Jade's hand.

"Not hear, Ron!" hissed back the raven haired girl.

She marched away quickly, only stopping when she had put a decent distance between herself and the Hospital Wing. Her heart thumped loudly in her chest as she carefully unfolded the parchment. It seemed to be a page torn from a very old library book.

"What does it say?" asked Christopher who had caught up to her.

"_Of the many beasts and monsters that roam our land, there is none more curious or more deadly than the Basilisk, known also as the King of Serpents. This snake, which may reach gigantic height, and live many hundreds of years, is born from a chicken's egg, hatched beneath a toad. Its methods of killing are most wondrous, for aside from its deadly and venomous fangs, the Basilisk has a murderous stare, and all who are fixed by the beam of its eye will suffer an instant death. Spiders flee before the Basilisk, for it is their mortal enemy, and the Basilisk flees only in front of the crowing of a rooster which is fatal to it."_ read Jade. "There's something Hermione wrote too…"

Under the passage was a single word written in Hermione's handwriting '_pipes_'. The last piece of the puzzle clicked in place in Jade's mind.

"Of course!" she whispered.

"I don't really get it." said Ron slowly re-reading the passage over the raven haired girl's shoulder.

"The Basilisk uses the pipes to move around the castle which means that he moves in the walls. That's why we couldn't see it even though I could hear its voice. I was the only one who could hear it because I'm a Parseltongue." she explained still staring at the parchment.

"But it says that the look of a Basilisk kills but the victims were frozen not killed." remarked Christopher frowning.

"That would be because none of them looked at it directly. Mrs Norris saw it's reflection in the water. Remember how the corridor was flooded? Colin saw it through his camera. That's why it melted. Then Justin…Justin must have seen it through Nearly Headless Nick. As for Nick, well he's already dead so…Then Hermione and that Ravenclaw Prefect saw it in the mirror!"

She scanned the text again.

"_The crowing of the rooster is fatal to it_…Hagrid's roosters were killed, remember? He told us so, before. The heir of Slytherin must have wanted to ensure that his monster wouldn't be killed accidently." she continued. "_Spiders flee before the Basilisk_…It all fits!"

"So he's been using the plumbing…" said Christopher thoughtfully.

Suddenly, Ron grabbed Jade's elbow.

"What if the Chamber of Secrets was in a bathroom? What if it's…"

"Moaning Myrtle's bathroom." completed Jade catching on.

They started hurrying towards the bathroom. However, they were stopped by urgent voices as they passed the Staff Room. The three students didn't waste any time and hid in a cloakroom so that they could listen in the staff's conversation.

"It has happened." said Professor McGonagall's voice. "A student has been taken inside the chamber of Secrets."

The Gryffindors heard a high pitched squeal that Jade suspected came from Flitwick.

"How can you be sure?" asked Snape.

"The Heir of Slytherin left another message." said the woman. "Right underneath the first one. _Her skeleton will lie in the Chamber forever_."

Flitwick burst into tears and Jade had to bit her lower lip hard so that she wouldn't gasp in shock.

"Who was taken?" asked Snape.

The three students hidden in the cloakroom held on their breath. It seemed to take forever for the reply to come as they both waited impatiently for it and dreaded it.

"Ginny Weasley."

Jade was thankful for her Seeker's reflexes, for as soon as she had Professor McGonagall say 'Ginny' she had clapped her hand over Ron's mouth to prevent him from making any noise. Having successfully been stopped from yelling, the red haired boy could only widen his eyes in shock. Jade couldn't see very well in the dark but she could have sworn that the boy had paled. It was understandable. If it had been Christopher who had been taken she would probably have charged in the Chamber and killed whoever was there. As it was she saw Ginny as a sister and was thus quite ready to charge in the Chamber and kill anybody who was there, except Ginny of course as it would be counter-productive.

As soon as she had ensured that Ron had regained enough sense not to yell the moment she released him, Jade took her hand of the boy's mouth and tip-toed out of the cloakroom. She soundlessly left the Staff room and hurried through the corridors towards Myrtle's bathroom. At some point she broke into a run and speeded round a corner. She violently collided with someone and fell on her backside in a not-so graceful manner.

"I'm really sor…" she never finished her apologies as she looked up to see Professor Lockhart standing there. "Oh, it's you." she said instead in a dispassionate voice.

The man seemed a bit shocked by the tone employed to address him, especially coming from a young lady. He was even more shocked when he realized that the girl had no attention of apologizing now that she knew who she had bumped into.

"W-What are you three doing in the corridors?" he finally managed to say.

Jade blinked. Three? The last time she had checked, Jade Potter was one person, not three…Realizing what the man's sentence implied she turned around and saw Ron and Christopher approaching them cautiously. They were watching the professor suspiciously, darting worried glance to Jade from time to time. The raven haired girl got back on her feet, taking her time to dust her clothes before replying.

"Professor McGonagall had given us permission to visit Hermione in the Hospital Wing we were on our way back." she explained. "Now if you'll excuse us." she made to walk around him but the man grabbed her arm.

"Miss Potter, I am not completely stupid." said Lockhart.

"Oh really?" retorted Jade coldly.

Ron snorted behind her, while the older man blushed furiously.

"This is not the way to your Common Room. You should make your lies more believable." the man said.

Jade sighed deeply. She slapped the professor's hand that was holding her arm. In his surprise, the professor let go of her arm. Jade took a step back and crossed her arms.

"Maybe you should follow your own advice. Do you really think the lies you write in your books are believable?" her tone was freezing, and Ron actually supressed a shiver. "Do you really think that everybody believes that the right coward you are actually did all those impressive deeds?" the green eyes narrowed dangerously. "Because, not everybody does believe it. In fact, ever since you started teaching here, I'd say that a great majority of students think of you as an uninteresting liar, a living joke even." as she talked Lockhart's blush had intensified and his face now had the shade of a ripe tomato. "Personally, I never even bothered reading your books. I only needed to see that unnatural dazzling smile and that super-sized ego of yours to know that you weren't worth anything."

"Miss Potter, how dare you?" choked the man.

"I bet you just had someone do all the work and then said you were the one who'd done it." continued the girl venomously. "Oh, and just to be sure that nobody would contradict your stories you made sure they wouldn't remember anything, by, oh I don't know, obliviating them for example."

From dark red the man's face had turned chalk white.

"I don't know how you discovered all this, but I'm sure you understand I can't let you go so that you can spill my secrets to everyone." said Lockhart. "I'm sorry but I'll have to put a memory charm on you three."

The man took out his wand and pointed it towards the girl. Jade however had already taken out her wand and reacted quickly.

"_Expelliarmus_!" she yelled.

Lockhart's wand flew out of his hand and landed a few meters away with a clatter. The man clicked his tongue and threw himself on Ron, snatching away the boy's wand.

"The game's over!" he said triumphantly. "_Obliviate_!"

Jade had frozen on the spot. The man had pointed the wand towards her and as he yelled the spell she prepared herself to get hit. However, the broken wand didn't work properly and the spell hit Lockhart himself instead. The man fell to the floor with a loud thump and the corridor was silent again.

"Good thing your wand's broken." said Jade at last.

Ron muttered something unintelligible under his breath as he took his wand back from the man.

"Come on we'd better go before anyone arrives." said Jade before she started running again.

A minute later, they were in Myrtle's bathroom. Jade had to close her eyes when she entered, already feeling a little sick. She inhaled deeply and re-opened her eyes. She would not let her weakness get in her way when Ginny was in danger. In the first place, it was absolutely ridiculous to be afraid of mirrors, she thought to herself.

"Myrtle!" she called with determination.

The ghost girl floated out of a cubicle and flew closer to the three students.

"What did you come here for?" she asked with girlish giggle.

"To talk about your death." announced Jade bluntly.

She would normally leave tactlessness to Ron and Christopher but in this situation she didn't have time to dance around.

"You see, Ron's sister was taken in the Chamber and they are going to kill her if we don't do anything." she continued before the ghost could start wailing. "I realize it is a painful subject for you but I, no, **we** really need your help. So could you tell us how you died please?"

Myrtle looked like she had never been asked such a flattering question.

"Oh it was awful!" she said as if she was talking about the most exciting moment of her life. "It happened right in here. I died in this very cubicle. I remember it so well. I was hiding because Olive Hornby had made fun of my glasses. The door was locked, and I was crying, and then I heard someone come in. They said something funny. A different language it must have been. Anyway, what really got me was that it was a _boy_ talking. So I unlocked the door to tell him to go and use his own toilets and then…" Myrtle swelled importantly, her face shining. "I died." she finished dramatically.

"How?" asked Jade.

"No idea." said Myrtle in hushed tones. "I just remember seeing a pair of big yellow eyes and then my body sort of seized up and I floated away." she looked at the raven haired girl dreamily. "And then I came back of course, I had decided to haunt Olive Hornby. Oh, she was sorry she had ever made fun of me and my glasses!"

"Where exactly did you see the eyes?" asked Jade hurriedly.

"Somewhere over there." replied Myrtle waving vaguely at the sink.

The three students hurried over to them and began examining them carefully. It looked like an ordinary sink. They looked all over it even on the pipes. It was Christopher who found the engraving of a snake on one of the copper taps.

"That tap's never worked." remarked Myrtle brightly as the boy tried to turn it.

"Jade say something." said Ron suddenly. "Something in Parseltongue."

Jade quickly understood the boy's idea and turned towards the tap. She hesitated as to what to say before deciding she might as well tell it what she wanted it to do.

"_Open_." she hissed.

The tap immediately started glowing a brilliant white light. Then it began to sin and the sink moved. The sink in fact, sank out of sight, leaving only an enormous pipe in its place. A pipe big enough for a man to slide into.

"Well, here we are." said Jade. "The Chamber's entrance." she turned to the boys briefly. "I'm going." she said and jumped into the pipe.


	13. Chapter 13

It was like a giant and dark slide. It was an endless rush downwards. Jade could see many other pipes departing from the one she was sliding in and going in every direction, but none was as big or as steep for that matter. Behind her she could hear the sound of someone bumping at the turns and she supposed that Ron and Christopher had followed her, not that she had ever doubted that they would.

Just as Jade was wondering how she would prevent crashing on the floor upon her arrival, the tunnel levelled out and she slid to the damp stone floor. She dizzily got up and walked away from the tunnel's mouth just as Ron slid out of it as well.

"We must be way down, maybe even under the dungeons." thought the raven haired girl allowed examining her surroundings.

The tunnel was pitch-black and it was hard seeing anything.

"Under the lake, probably." mumbled Ron as he got up.

Jade nodded absent-mindedly. Christopher arrived at that moment. Jade watched her twin get up to his feet and stagger a little. Then she took out her wand.

"_Lumos_." she said.

The ball of white light that appeared at the tip of her wand wasn't enough to pierce the thick darkness ahead of them but they could now at least see where they were walking.

"Remember," murmured Jade as she started walking. "First sign of movements close your eyes right away."

The boys nodded gravely and they set off in the silent tunnels. The darkness was impressive and all the tension was heavy. They all jumped when a loud crunch came from Ron's foot. Trying to calm her beating heart, Jade lowered her wand to examine the floor. Ron had walked on a rat's skull. Jade bit her lip as her gaze passed on all the small animal skeletons littering the floor. In that moment she didn't want to think to what might have already happened to Ginny. Taking a deep breath she continued walking.

"Jade, there's something over there." whispered Christopher hoarsely, grabbing his twin by the elbow.

The three students stopped moving as they watched the outline of something huge and curbed, lying in the tunnel ahead of them.

"Maybe it's sleeping." said Ron hopefully.

Jade released herself from her twin's grasp and crept closer to the unmoving mass, making her eyes as thin as she could while still seeing something. Bringing her _Lumos_ as close as she dared, she discovered a giant snake skin, a vivid green. It was lying on the floor, curled and to the students' relief, empty. Jade got closer to the skin and placed a hand on it, caressing the scales, which had once been on the body of a snake of at least twenty feet long.

Jade continued in the tunnel, her brother closely behind her. At Ron's panicked yell they turned around, only to see the red haired boy point his wand at a random direction.

"Ron, no!" yelled the raven haired girl but it was too late as the red haired boy was already yelling '_Petrificus Totalus_'.

The wand exploded with the force of a small bomb. It caused the tunnel's ceiling to collapse between Ron and the twins. Jade and Christopher shielded themselves from the rumble. Once the tunnel had gone quiet once again, Jade got closer to the wall of rocks that now barred the passage.

"Ron?" she called anxiously.

"Sorry." came the boy's voice slightly muffled. "Something ran passed me and I just automatically…"

"It doesn't matter." cut in Jade. "Are you alright? Did you get hurt?"

"No, no, I'm fine." replied the boy apparently relieved that he hadn't been told off.

The raven haired girl took a moment to think. That wall of rocks looked like it would take a while to take it apart. Ginny had already been in the Chamber for quite a while now, if they didn't hurry they might not make it in time.

"Ron, we don't have time to clear the passage. Me and Chris will carry on. The Basilisk will be on our side so you should be safe." she said apologetically.

"Yeah…Listen, I'll try and make a way through the rocks, so that you can come back through…" said the red haired boy who was obviously trying his best not to let his vice waver.

"We'll see you in a bit." said Jade with all the confidence she could muster.

Without waiting for a reply, she walked off, Christopher on her heels. They walked in silence, not needing words to share their fear. A few minutes later, they stopped in front of wall on which were carved to intertwined snakes. The eyes of the snakes were set with emeralds and were gleaming dangerously in the light of jade's wand.

The raven haired girl approached the wall, her throat suddenly very dry. She turned slightly towards her brother who had taken out his wand. The boy nodded slowly showing that he was ready.

"_Open_." Jade hissed in Parseltongue.

The snakes parted and each side slid into its respective wall. Shaking from head to toes the twins walked in the Chamber Of Secrets.

They were standing at the end of a very long, dimly lit chamber. On each side were enormous pillar decorated with snakes and supporting the ceiling that was not visible in the darkness. It quite resembled a cathedral, thought Jade. She had never been in one as her parents were not catholics. Religion was a bit of a Muggle thing really, it wasn't common in wizarding society. Anyway, Jade had never visited a cathedral but she had seen pictures of them before.

Jade briefly wondered if the Basilisk was lurking in the shadows ready to attack her and her brother. She clenched her hand around her wand and took a step forward. Her footsteps echoed in the empty chamber and they were soon joined by Christopher's. The twins advanced cautiously until they levelled with the last pair of pillars. There on the back wall was a gigantic statue, as high as the chamber itself. It was a statue of a wizard, probably Salazar Slytherin himself. Jade craned her neck to look at the ancient and monkey-like face perched on top of the statue. She lowered her eyes down the wizard's robes until she saw its feet which were touching the floor. And there in the middle of the statue's feet was Ginny's body lying on the bare floor.

"Ginny!" muttered Jade.

The raven haired girl sprinted to the body of the younger witch and knelt beside her.

"Ginny!" she called again, gently shaking the younger girl in an attempt to wake her.

As the red haired witch didn't open her eyes, Jade started panicking.

"Oh, please don't be dead." she muttered as she examined the body closely.

The girl was definitely not frozen but then…

"Ginny, please wake up!" said Christopher who had knelt on the girl's other side.

"She won't wake." said a voice behind them.

Jade jumped to her feet and spun around.

"Tom Riddle." she said recognising the young man standing a few feet away. "What do you mean she won't wake?" the girl's eyes narrowed in suspicion. "She's not…?"

"She's still alive. But only just." provided the boy calmly.

Jade clenched her teeth and observed the boy. Tom Riddle had attended Hogwarts as a student fifty years ago. Yet here he was, standing there with a misty light surrounding him, looking no older than sixteen.

"Are you a ghost?" asked the raven haired girl.

The boy laughed softly.

"I am a memory." he said. "A memory preserved in a diary for fifty long years."

He shifted slightly and pointed to the small black diary, lying on the floor in front of the statue's feet. Jade frowned. Something was telling her that it wasn't there by coincidence.

"Tom, I suppose you won't be helping me, will you?" she said. "You showed me that memory so that I would think Hagrid was the one doing the killings. It would have been one thing if you had really believed it was him, but here you are, in the genuine Chamber of Secrets, not looking even a little fazed when you have a student dying in front of you"

Riddle listened to her little speech, a smile playing on his lips.

"Just who are you, Tom?" asked Jade her wand raised.

"You're very smart, aren't you? More so than I had first thought." remarked the boy.

"Listen, Tom. I don't have time to play your little games." snapped Jade. "I want to take Ginny and leave this place before the Basilisk arrives."

"It won't come until it is called." said the boy casually.

"Good, well then, we shall be on our way." said the raven haired girl half-turning towards Ginny and Christopher but without looking away from Riddle or lowering her guard.

Christopher understood the message and picked the red haired girl gently, carrying her princess-style.

"Oh no, I don't think so." said Riddle softly. "I have waited a long time to speak with, Christopher Potter."

Jade placed herself between her brother and Riddle.

"We're going to talk now." added the boy.

The twins stared at him suspiciously.

"How did Ginny get like this?" asked Christopher after a long silence.

"Ah! That's an interesting question." said Riddle pleasantly. "And quite a long story as well. I suppose the real reason why she is like this, is because Ginny Weasley opened her heart and spilled all her secrets to an invisible stranger."

"What are you talking about?" asked Christopher, his eyes widening in surprise.

"The diary." said Riddle. "My diary. Little Ginny's been writing in it for months and months, telling me all her pitiful worries and woes;: how her brothers tease her, how she had to come to school with second hands robes and books, and how…" Riddle's eyes glinted. "…she didn't think famous, good, great Christopher Potter would ever like her…"

As he spoke Riddle's eyes never left Christopher's face. There was an almost hungry look in them which made Jade very anxious.

"It's very boring, having to listen to the silly little troubles of an eleven-year-old girl." he continued. "But I was patient. I wrote back, I was sympathetic, I was kind. Ginny simply loved me. _No one's ever understood me like you Tom…I'm so glad I've got this diary to confide in…It's like having a friend I can carry around in my pocket…_"

Riddle laughed. It was a high, cold laugh that didn't suit the image of the sixteen year old Prefect at all.

"If I say it myself Christopher, I've always been able to charm the people I needed. Ginny poured her soul out to me, and her soul happened to be exactly what I wanted. I grew stronger on a diet of her deepest fears, her darkest secrets. I grew powerful, far more powerful than little Miss Weasley. Powerful enough to start feeding Miss Weasley a few secrets of my own, to start pouring a little of m soul into her…"

"What do you mean?" asked Christopher his voice barely more than a whisper.

"Haven't you guessed yet, Christopher Potter?" Riddle asked with a laugh.

Christopher's silence was enough of an answer: no, he hadn't guessed yet. Jade had, though. She had found the solution to the mystery even if her heart rejected it deeply, even if she still wanted to believe that it was all a misunderstanding…

"You used her." whispered the raven-haired girl. "You possessed her, made her open the Chamber, made her use the Basilisk to attack her school-mates, made her write those messages on the walls…"

Riddle looked surprised as his gaze left Christopher to rest on her. He seemed to have forgotten she was there while all his attention was on the famous Boy-Who-Lived.

"Clever, Miss Potter, very clever." he said with a smile.

"She threw the diary away." said Jade suddenly remembering.

"Yes, it took a long time, but she finally started to doubt her beloved diary." said Tom. "She tried to throw me away and then your sister picked me up. The sister of the own I was most anxious to meet…" Riddle had turned back to Christopher as he talked, completely ignoring Jade once again.

That attitude was started to get on her nerves.

"And why did you want to meet me?" asked Christopher.

"Well you see, Ginny told me all about you. Your _whole_ fascinating history…" said the boy.

"What is it that you want Tom?" interrupted Jade. "Carry on Salazar's will and kill muggleborns?"

"Well that was indeed my goal at first." admitted Riddle as his eyes lingered on Christopher's exposed scar. "But in the past month my goal has changed. It is you, Christopher."

The twins stared at him. Jade silently swore, she didn't like where this was going, not one bit!

"Imagine how angry I was when I lost my chance to talk to you because Ginny took the diary back from your sister." continued the boy from fifty years ago. "And then Ginny told me you were a Parseltongue so I made her write her own farewell message and led her to the Chamber. She cried for a while, but then she didn't have enough life left. She put too much in my diary. Enough to let leave its pages, at least." he said with satisfaction. "Anyway, how did you escape with nothing but a scar when Lord Voldermort cast a killing curse at you?"

"Why would you ask that?" asked Christopher frowning.

It was Jade who answered.

"Because that's him. Tom Riddle is Voldermort." she said.

Riddle exploded in laughter. He waved his hand and letters appeared in the air.

TOM MARVOLO RIDDLE

He waved his hand a second time and the letters rearranged themselves.

I AM LORD VOLDERMORT

"You see?" he said. "It was a name I used even during my time in Hogwarts, only with my closest friends of course. You think I was going to use my filthy Muggle father's name forever? I, in whom runs the blood of Salazar Slytherin himself from my mother's side? No, Christopher, I fashioned myself a new name, a name I knew wizards everywhere would one day fear to speak, when I had become the greatest wizard of all times!"

Silence hung in the Chamber for a while. Christopher looked as if his brain had jammed from the information. Riddle looked triumphant, obviously pleased by the effect he had made.

"Pretty pointless, isn't it?" said Jade looking extremely unimpressed.

While the boy was talking about his grand ideas and past, her fear had reduced. She had watched the boy in front of her whose eyes were shining with excitement as he spoke. It wasn't the greatest wizard of all times she had seen there, but a normal sixteen year old boy with a little more power than normal and great ideals. Put simply: a kid with big dreams.

"Iy's a bit stupid to go through all the trouble of inventing a new name for yourself by replacing the letters of your name if nobody is going to use it anyway." she continued dispassionately. "You know you remind me of myself when I was young." she paused and looked into the boy's eyes. "I used to dream of being a mermaid."

The comment made both Christopher and Lord Voldy gape.

"You look like a fish you know." she said kindly to the older boy. "Anyway, it's the truth, I remember I was really into it and then one my dad told me that mermaids didn't exist, that they were just fairy tales. He told me all about mer people but made me understand that you couldn't just become one of them; they were a race just like humans." the boy mouth had closed at the comment on fish and was now forming a thin line. "I stopped dreaming of being a mermaid then. It hurt a lot to have my dream broken just like that, but I realized it was better to know it was impossible now and start anew than to realize that later and spend my life running after an illusion. That, Riddle, is called growing up. Maybe you should consider it as well."

The boy's blank mask fell and Jade could read indescribable rage on his face.

"_I_ am not like you." he hissed angrily. "_My_ dream isn't impossible. I achieved it, I'm the greatest wizard of all times!"

"You're not." countered Jade flatly. "Christopher defeated you when he was only a baby and do you not fear Dumbledore? You're still a long way from being the best."

"Dumbledore has been driven out of the castle by a mere _memory_ of me!" argued Riddle.

Thankfully for Jade, a sweet music which she recognised instantly filled the chamber at that moment.

"He's not as gone as you see to think." she said calmly as Fawkes made his appearance.

The red and gold bird flew across the chamber, carrying the Sorting Hat in his beak.

"That's a Phoenix…" said Riddle obviously puzzled.

Fawkes dropped the ragged hat at Jade's feet and landed heavily on her shoulder. The raven haired girl picked the hat up as Riddle started laughing madly.

"That's what Dumbledore sends to his defender? A bird and the old Sorting Hat?" he said, finally stopping laughing. "To business Christopher." said Riddle smiling broadly. "Let's match Salazar Slytherin's power and the best Dumbledore can give you."

The boy turned around to face the statue.

"_Speak to me, Salazar, greatest of the Hogwarts four._" said the boy in Parseltongue.

Jade looked at the statue and swore. Salazar's mouth was opening, revealing a tunnel much like the one they had used to reach the Chamber. Something was slithering out of it, something huge and deadly. Jade's heart clenched as she watched the hole, not able to tear her eyes away from it.


	14. Chapter 14

Just in time Jade remembered to shut her eyes. Before she shut them completely she turned towards her brother and found he had already reacted. Reassured she closed her own and waited.

Something heavy fell on the chamber's floor and Fawkes flew away from Jade's shoulder. The girl wanted to call the bird back but immediately felt guilty for it. What could a bird do against a Basilisk? She would only endanger Fawkes. She heard movement from the gigantic snake and backed away until her back bumped into the chamber's wall. Then she heard the sound of winds flapping.

"_Not the bird, attack the human._" she heard Riddle say angrily.

She wondered briefly what was happening, but assumed that Fawkes was causing a diversion. It seemed it had failed though as she heard the monster slither towards her. Before the snake could get close enough to her, Jade heard it cry in pain. She opened her eyes slightly to see Fawkes flying away from the head of the snake which was now covered in blood that was dripping from its eyes.

"Chris!" she called. "You can open your eyes Fawkes made the Basilisk blind!"

"_Kill her!_" hissed Riddle angrily.

The snake shook his head from side to side and launched towards the girl, fangs bared. Jade just had time to jump to the side and run as far as she could. _Help me_, she though, _anyone help me!_ The Basilisk launched at her and she barely avoided the fangs , rolling away from the snake's enormous head. At that moment, she felt the Hat contract in her hand, as if an invisible hand had just squeezed it. Without thinking, she plunged her hand inside. To her surprise she felt something long and hard. She grabbed it and pulled it out of the Hat. In her hand was a silver sword whose handle was glittering with rubies the size of chicken eggs.

"_Leave the bird. Kill the girl. And then kill the others."_ ordered Riddle.

Jade was on her feet ready to fight. She looked at the snake looking for a weak point. She couldn't see any and had to dodge the fangs once again before running away. But even as she ran she knew the snake was faster. In a second she took her decision. She stopped and in the same movement spun around to face her opponent. When the snake lunged at her, its mouth wide open, she threw her whole weight behind the sword and drove it in the serpent's mouth. However, one of the monster's fang had buried itself firmly into her arm. She let go of the sword and slid to the wall. The Basilisk wasn't moving anymore so she supposed he was dead. Suddenly, the fang broke as the snake fell sideways.

Using the last of her rapidly disappearing strength, Jade drew the fang out of her arm. She slumped against the wall, black spots darkening her vision. In a last surge of wisdom, Jade gripped the fang and threw towards her brother.

"Christopher! The diary!" her voice broke before she could say anything else.

That was enough for her twin, however and he rushed to the diary that had been left on the floor. The ghost-like Riddle could do nothing to stop the boy as he stabbed the book with the fang until Riddle disappeared in flurry of screams.

Jade meanwhile, had left herself sink in darkness. She had known it was too late for her the moment she had taken the fang out of her arm. Even as the snake tooth left her body, the venom inside had seeped inside her flesh contaminating her blood. She closed her eyes and waited for death to take her away.

She fell, in a dark hole. For a moment she thought she was back in the pipe falling towards the Chamber and its dangers. But this darkness was different. It was impenetrable; there were no right, no, left; no bottom and no top. It was infinite and absolute, cold and unforgiving.

Then Jade dreamed of a warm liquid falling on her arm. The liquid went inside her and warmed her entire body. As she felt warmth spread into her, light came to her eyes. It was coming from her own body and growing brighter and brighter as the warmth reached the furthest parts of her body.

Soon the light filled her vision and where there had been endless darkness, there was now endless light. The light was pure; infinite and absolute, warm and forgiving.

_Oh_, Jade thought, _this is Life isn't it?_ As if an answer to her thoughts a melodious trill rang in the world of light. With an appeased smile, Jade abandoned herself to the warmth…

* * *

"JADE! JADE! Oh Merlin, she's smiling! Don't die Jade, even if it's peacefully!"

Jade's mouth twitch. Didn't that prat she had for a brother not know how to let people rest?

"She's fine, Christopher." said a calmer voice. "Fawkes already healed her. Phoenix tears can cure everything, remember?"

"But if it didn't work?" came the twat's voice filled with panic. "She's not waking up! JADE!"

The blithering idiot started shaking her like a sandbag.

"ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!" roared Jade jumping to her feet and violently pushing her twin away. "Can't someone who nearly died have some peace and quiet?"

Jade breathed deeply to calm herself.

"It's good to see you're doing better, Ginny." she said smiling kindly to the younger girl. "We were worried, you know. Anyway we should be on our way, Ron was with us too but he got blocked by some rocks. He's been making a pathway for us." she led the red haired girl away by the shoulder without looking back at her brother.

"Don't leave me here!" whined the boy running to catch up.

Jade clicked her tongue.

"And here goes my well-made plan!" she said with fake disappointment.

Christopher pouted playfully and Ginny giggled at the twins' antics. Jade winked to her twin. The mission make Ginny better was a success!

They continued exchanging playful banters all the way until they reached the place where they had left Ron. By the time they joined the older Weasley, the younger one was close to tears. With the twins joking all the way, she had barely had time to breath with her laughing so much!

Ron was quite glad to see that his sister was not only alive but also happily laughing. He hugged her tightly, asking her all the questions he could think of concerning her well-being may it be physical or mental (well obviously you would be worried for their sanity if someone whom you thought to be on the brink of death came back laughing). Having ensured that everything was alright, Ron finally released his sister and agreed to go back to the surface.

While the Weasley's had their reunion, Jade and Christopher had had their own small one. Christopher had after all been worried for his sister as she had nearly died only minutes ago, and Jade even with her light-hearted comeback had seen death from up close. They exchanged a brief hug and kept their hands locked as they walked back to the entrance. They both knew that they had been very, very close from being separated. For twins, being separated was an end in itself. Jade didn't know what it would feel like not having Christopher with her but she was pretty sure it wouldn't very different from losing half of yourself.

"Have you thought about how to go back up?" asked Ron as he examined the pipe.

"Not at all." said the twins in unison.

"Can you please not say it with such relaxed expressions." sighed Ron frowning at their bright smiles.

Jade let go of twin's hand and walked to the tunnel. She was deep in thoughts as to how they should go back up when Fawkes started fluttering above her.

"He looks like he wants you to grab hold…" said Ron perplexed. "But you're much too heavy for a bird to carry."

Jade glared at the red haired boy.

"Are you implying that I'm fat?" she asked offended.

The red haired boy rolled his eyes at her.

"I don't think anyone in this world would be able to call you fat." he replied.

"Yes, because there isn't an ounce of fat in your body, Jade." said Christopher truthfully.

"I was more thinking along the lines of: because you'd get killed in the next minute." said Ron.

This earned a heavy punch in the stomach. The red haired boy groaned in pain and clutched his stomach.

"All right," said Jade turning her back to her victim. "Let's go. Everyone hold on to each other."

Christopher immediately grabbed her left arm while Ginny attached herself to her waist. Ron who seemed to resent her for the punch held on to his sister. Jade placed the Hat and the sword which she taken back before leaving into her belt and grabbed the Phoenix' tail feather. Their bodies sudden felt extremely light, and they were soon flying upwards at high speed. It was a matter of seconds until they reached the end of the pipe and arrived in Myrtle's bathroom where Fawkes dropped them on the wet floor. The ghost goggled at them.

"You're alive!" she said in wonder.

"I do like it when people have such endless trust in my success." remarked Jade to no one in particular.

* * *

When the little group entered the Hospital Wing, there was a long silence. It was Mrs Weasley who had been called there along with her husband and sons who broke it first.

"Ginny!" she cried flinging herself onto her daughter.

She was quickly joined by her husband. Soon the whole Weasley clan was assembled around the little girl. After a while, Mrs Weasley freed her daughter and turned to Jade and Christopher.

"You saved her!" she cried with tears rolling down her cheeks. "You saved her!" she repeated hugging Christopher tightly.

She then turned to hug Jade but she had already been beaten to it by Fred. The red haired boy was hugging Jade so tightly she was afraid to die from lack of breath.

"F-Fred, air!" she managed to choke out.

"Oops sorry." said the boy beaming at her. "Don't know my strength and all that!" he added with a wink.

She nudged him playfully before she was hugged by Mrs Weasley. She was then claimed by George, though the second red haired twin didn't hug her quite as long or tight as his brother. In fact, he was being overly careful as to let her breath which ended up being quite ridiculous and making everyone laugh.

Then began the arduous task of retelling the events of the last few hours. Jade who was starting to feel a bit tired let her brother and Ron retell the story while she sat on a nearby bed.

"Very well," prompted McGonagall after Christopher had told her the extensive tale of how they had found the Chamber. "so you found out where the entrance was – breaking a hundred school rules into pieces along the way (flattens our record, said Fred) – but how on earth did you all get of there alive, Potter?"

"That was all thanks to Jade." said Christopher proudly motioning to where his sister sat.

Jade suddenly found a sudden fascination for her nails as all eyes turned to look at her in wonder. Then Christopher began telling them all how they had talked with Riddle, how Fawkes had arrived just in time to deliver sword and hat and how his sister had heroically slayed the monster saving the all!

"What interests me most," said Dumbledore gently. "is how Voldermort could enchant Ginny while my sources tell me he is hiding in a forest in Albania."

Mrs Weasley was about to protest but Jade didn't give her time.

"It was his diary." she explained. "He had placed the memory of himself from fifty years ago in a diary which Ginny came across and wrote in. As Ginny confined in the diary Riddle gained power until he could finally possess her."

Dumbledore took the diary with great interest, muttering 'brilliant' under his breath.

"What _I_ am interested in," cut in Madam Pomfrey. "is why you are leaving a young girl who was dying minutes ago without rest!"

"You are quite right, Poppy, of course." said Dumbledore his eyes twinkling. "We will all leave Miss Potter to rest. Perhaps it would be best if she stayed in the Hospital Wing." he suggested.

Madam Pomfrey nodded enthusiastically and Jade got up. She didn't leave though.

"Professor Dumbledore, I have a question of my own to ask." she said looking the old wizard straight in the eye.

"Ask away, my dear." said the headmaster with a curious twinkle in his gaze.

"I have been doing a lot of thinking on my being a Parseltongue, you see. It seems Voldermort is the heir of Slytherin, however I am pretty sure the Potters or the Evans are in no way related to Tom Riddle. Therefore I have been asking myself why I have such ability when it is supposed to be hereditary. Of course it would have made sense for Christopher to be a Parseltongue as he most likely shares a bond with Voldermort through that scar of his. But it doesn't make sense for me to possess it. Also when I was sorted, The Hat had told me that I would do well in Slytherin. I was hoping you might be able to give me answers." she finished.

The old headmaster was thoughtful for a while.

"I do not believe that your ability to speak with snakes has anything to do with Voldermort. I believe that it simply come from your ancestry. As you must well know, pureblood families such as the Potters have married their sons and daughters to other pureblood families, and with time it has formed a complex web of parentage that links all the purebloods. It is therefore not impossible for you to be related to Salazar Slytherin in some way." he paused studying her. "As for doing well in Slytherin, it seems to me that you indeed have the making of a young snake. Please remember, that being in Slytherin doesn't make you Dark, it simply shows that you have cunning and intelligence which are not bad traits."

The raven haired considered his answer for a moment before nodding.

"Thank you, sir. Then I will be going to rest." she said leaving behind Madam Pomfrey.

"Ah, please wait a moment, Miss Potter." said Dumbledore effectively stopping the young girl in her tracks. "I wish to tell you as well as Mr Potter and Weasley something." he said gathering them before him. "First of all, I seem to remember telling Mr Potter and Weasley that I would have to expel them if they broke any more school rules." the three students glanced at each other in horror. "Which just shows that the best of us sometimes have to go back on their words." continued Dumbledore to their relief. "You will all receive Awards for Special Services to the School as well as two hundred points each for Gryffindor."

After a lot of cheering Jade was finally able to go to bed and get some sleep. That night she enjoyed a blissful sleep devoid of nightmares.

* * *

The next day a feast was organized and classes were cancelled. In the middle of the feast Jade left the Great Hall for the bathroom. On her way back she met Lucius Malfoy storming to the Entrance, followed by a cowering Dobby.

"Hello Mr Malfoy." she said sweetly, placing a discreet hand in her pocket. "Such an amazing coincidence, I just had something to give to you."

The blond man who had stopped short when she had greeted him, watched her calculatingly.

"And what would that be?" asked the man coldly.

Jade carefully pulled the diary out of her pocket and threw it towards him.

"Something you forgot." she told him.

The man glared at her and threw the diary towards Dobby who caught it deftly. Then he turned on his heels and made to leave.

"You should open that diary Dobby, it seems Mr Malfoy here has kindly given you a gift." said the raven haired girl loudly enough that Lucius Malfoy would hear her.

Once again the man stopped to watch her calculatingly, this time with a hint of annoyance. Dobby carefully opened the book and took the sock which had been placed between the pages.

"Master gifted Dobby with cloth!" squeaked the elf in delight. "Dobby is free!"

Malfoy looked at the sock with cold fury before turning to Jade.

"You accursed child!" he said raising his black cane. "How dare you?!"

Jade could only watch in helpless fear as the cane was raised to hit her. She was preparing herself to receive a most painful blow when an unexpected voice was heard.

"Father." came a familiar drawl, as Draco Malfoy strolled in. "I wasn't aware that you were in Hogwarts." said the blonde.

"I'm afraid I was here for business." replied the older man curtly.

Malfoy junior then turned, aka Madboy, then turned towards Jade as if he had just seen her.

"Oh you were there as well, Potter." he said. "You must forgive me, you're so insignificant without your brother by your side that I hadn't noticed you."

The raven haired girl glared at her eternal rival.

"I see that rudeness runs in the family." she said storming off with a last wink to Dobby who disappeared with a smile.

As she joined her friends at the Gryffindor table, a strange thought made its way to her mind. Had Malfoy (Draco Malfoy that is) just saved her?..._No way_, she thought to herself, _he most likely just conveniently walked in to insult me, maybe he really didn't notice me at first_…The thought quickly left her as she joined in the conversations around her. But still, had he?

* * *

**And here goes the third chapter of the day and the last of the second book of the Jade series! I hope you enjoyed it and please send me your reviews!**

**I was wondering whether it felt like Christopher hadn't done anything during the fight against the Basilisk and if he was perhaps a bit too inactive. Please send me your opinions!**

**I will do my best to write the first chapter of the third book as soon as possible but I can't promise anything as I have important exams coming up!**


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